Gem World
by The Howling Behemoth
Summary: A failed attempt at Jasper's redemption causes Steven to questions if the rebellion solved anything. If the Crystal Gems are the heroes he thinks they are. Coming to a decision, Stevonnie leaves the Earth to go to Home-World to understand and possibly make a difference. They see the order the Diamonds bring and its cost. Will they assimilate, or start another war? Stevonnie fusion
1. Chapter 1

I do not own 'Steven Universe'

 **This is the AU of Post Jasper's defeat.** **I've been watching, and the show is actually going the way I was planning on doing another SU fic. (I'm angry and happy at the same time!) I decided to put this out before I lose the chance for an original plot!**

 **I'd like to give a shout out to LadyDetia who actually inspired this fic. If Rupphire(Garnet) is your OTP, then I recommend you read Angel in a Blue Dress and it's spin-off All that matters if you love some Jasper/oc.**

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

"Log date 9 29 16." Peridot began in her new recorder. "I have been making progress in understanding the Crystal gems and their ways. So much so that they have accepted me as one of their own. I still have a lot to learn, but from what I understand they seem to focus their efforts on the beliefs of Rose Quartz. 'Every life is precious and everyone should be happy to be themselves, and that said happiness should be shared with another.' Whether they want it or not."

 _And protecting those beliefs and things you cared for through reckless violence._ Peridot mentally added, but kept to herself. She had a feeling that it wasn't something that should be done in the public, an under the table type deal.

"To better understand and assimilate to their ways, I plan to further my efforts and undergo the task of redeeming another." She stated before smirking. "Apparently an advanced action that the Crystal gems themselves haven't perfected, minus Steven of course." She frowned as she remembered a small detail. "Unfortunately...I am only limited to one option in this task, my _former_ Jasper escort." Peridot stated uneasily. "It will not be an easy task seeing as she is as I was, a follower of Yellow-Diamond, a dutiful being. But it would not be a worthy task if it were easy! I now know that their is more to life than numbers, now I wish to show her!" Peridot exclaimed to pump herself up. "If my reconciliation with Amethyst is anything like this, then I know it will be worth it." She stated, sure of herself.

She had never felt so big in her entire life.

 _No, don't get ahead of yourself._ Peridot mentally chastised. _Be logical._

"I am unqualified to handle such a task on my own so I must undergo it with the master of this...art." She said, unsure of the proper word. "Steven seems to be both the prime example and follower of said beliefs, so much so that he seems to do it unconsciously." Peridot stated. "He believes there is good in everyone and everything, even his enemies, such as...me." While she had never considered herself _evil_ , she new that they were on opposite sides. His kindness was...contagious. "With his experience and assistance, I believe we can achieve the task! And maybe, just maybe, I'll earn that star."

 _Now I just have to wake him up._ Peridot thought as she looked down at the human in question, still asleep and oblivious to what was happening around him. Peridot knelt down and began poking his face. Once...twice...thirteen times...forty six times...

Steven opened his eyes to see Peridot, she was knelt down to his face and poking him.

"Whaz goin' on?" He asked through a yawn. "Peridot? I new you'd come back to us! Don't worry, we left the bathroom just the way it was."

"Steven, I require your assistance." Peridot stated.

"With what?" He asked as he began sitting up. "A new freshener?"

"I want to begin the rehabilitation and redemption of my former Jasper escort." Peridot stated calmly. "Will you assist me?"

"What?" The half-gem spoke in confusion.

"...I want you to help bring Jasper to our side." Peridot rephrased.

That kicked out the last of the drowsiness. Steven practically leapt from his bed in excitement, the prospect of turning another Home-World Gem good was very exhilarating.

Without a second thought, Steven grabbed Peridot and jumped from his bed to the ground, slowing just before landing. He was really enjoying his new ability. Lifting his shirt to reveal his gem, it glowed and matched the doors glow, taking him to his mother's room.

"Room, take me to the real basement!" Steven spoke.

Like last time, the pink clouds spread to reveal a pole that he and Peridot latched to and slid down. They moved down, gaining momentum before they were seemingly tossed from the pole.

Steven took the most relaxed pose he could as his whole body was flung through the air. Unlike last time, he hadn't crashed face first into the ground, he managed to float down. Unfortunately Peridot didn't have his gift, she crashed right into the ground in a painful heap.

"A little warning would have been nice!" Peridot stated as she rubbed her head.

"Sorry." Steven stated as he helped her stand. "There it is." Steven stated as he pointed to the newest edition to the gem collection.

"Are you sure?" Peridot asked as she looked around. "I see several Jasper type gems."

Steven nodded, he was sure that this was Jasper's gem. It was as different from the others as much as a human's face was to one another. Some where similar, but never the same.

Steven jumped up to grab it, holding it as gently as possible as he descended as slowly as possible. He didn't want to accidentally pop it and...maybe this wasn't such a good idea.

"Something wrong?" Peridot asked, noticing his hesitation.

The adrenaline died down in a second as he actually paused to think of the effect this could have. He had done this before, with mixed results. When he had freed Lapis he was grounded and she brought the Home-World gems, but he gave her her freedom and made a friend. She even helped them stop Jasper, willing to sacrifice herself. Then he freed Peridot and gained information about the Cluster as well as made another friend. But now she couldn't go home. Now they had worked together to save the Earth from the Cluster.

 _And then there was Bismuth._ He thought sadly. That was a can of worms he never wanted to deal with again. For all her zeal, that gem cared.

Jasper was different from these two entirely. She was much more violent and, unfortunately, had the muscle to back up her actions. Even Garnet, the strongest gem he knew, had just barely beat her. And that was because she through the larger gem into a generator. Which exploded, and Jasper _still_ survived, mostly unhurt.

"What if she's not-you know, friendly?" Steven asked hesitantly.

"Hmm." Peridot considered that. _I'll_ probably _be safe, but the rest of the Crystal Gems are still her enemies._ "True, Jasper is known to be hostile except to those she respects. Usually. We will need more assistance."

They needed help, they wouldn't be able to restrain Jasper on their own. They couldn't go to the gems because they'd try and stop them. They couldn't go to any humans because that'd be a disaster. It had to be someone powerful and reasonable.

"I know just the gem!" Steven declared.

He grabbed Peridot and began running out of the temple.

* * *

While the Warp-Pad had been destroyed, it wasn't the only way to get to the barn. Not for Steven. He had a magical lion capable of opening portals to anywhere. So he had one opened a few feet away from the barn, to the shock of it's residents.

"Lapis!" Steven called out excitedly.

Lapis Lazuli turned to see the half gem with his big smile, it was enough to put a smile on her face as well.

"Hello Steven." She greeted before looking at the other gem. "Peridot."

"Hello Lapis Lazuli." Peridot greeted kindly.

While they were on better terms and shared a barn together, they weren't...friends. They best way to describe them was two people making the best of the situation. Like any pair of roommates. It was getting better thanks to Steven.

"Lapis, we need your help!" Steven stated.

"With wha-is that what I think it is?" Lapis asked as she looked at the bubbled gem with disgust.

"We're going to turn Jasper good!" Steven stated with stars in his eyes.

"...What?" Lapis asked, not sure she heard correctly.

Steven and Peridot began to explain what they had planned.

"We require your assistance in case Jasper lashes out at our offer." Peridot informed. "Will you assist us?"

Lapis had always considered Steven to be a bit naive, it was part of his innocent trait, the very same that freed her, but she felt this was just...stupid. They were going to release a gem as dangerous as Jasper. They had just gotten rid of her!

"No way!" Lapis declared. "She's too dangerous! How could you even consider freeing her!"

"Everyone deserves a chance." Steven stated without a doubt.

"Not her!" Lapis shouted.

"Please Lapis." Steven begged with wide eyes.

Lapis leaned away from the begging Steven, she was having a hard time resisting the face he was making towards her. It was a mixture of too pitiful and too cute, like a sad puppy.

 _They're likely to do it anyway._ Lapis reasoned. _Might as well make sure Steven is safe._ She had come to care greatly for the half-gem, she didn't want him hurt. That, and the fact that she may get the chance to harm Jasper was a strong temptation.

"I...guess I do have this pond to keep us safe." She reasoned to herself. _I just hope it's enough._

"Yes!" Steven cheered, taking her comment as agreement.

With only a moment's hesitation, Steven popped the bubble and released the gem.

Steven took the one second to add his healing spit to the gem. He could never forget watching her corrupt, or her anger as it happened. He could only hope he wasn't too late. And that they could be friends.

The trio backed away as the gem began hovering and glowing brighter by the second. He whispered a small apology to the Quartz and hoped for the best. Maybe he could help her.

The light began to grow and bend as it took a massive form. Soon the form solidified and Jasper was whole again. Uncorrupted. Unlike the Crystal gems, and similar to Peridot, her outfit hadn't changed in the slightest.

She lifted her head and took a single look at Steven. Jasper had that same deranged look in her eye that she had when she was still trapped in Malachite. It was enough to make Steven take a fearful step back.

"You!" Jasper shouted as she lunged.

"Wait!" Steven shouted.

Jasper didn't wait, she pulled her fist back to strike the half-ling. Instinctively Steven raised his bubble to protect himself. There was a loud noise as her fist collided with the barrier. The gem warrior pulled her fist back in pain as the bubble proved to be too much. Though it did leave a sizable crack.

"A-Almost forgot how strong your defenses are Rose." Jasper stated as she rubbed her sore knuckles. She gained a cruel smile as her Crash Helmet appeared on her head. "But I-

Whatever Jasper was going to say was cut off when a wave of water crashed into her. It continued to knock into her to keep her off balance before raising into the air, lifting the gem with it. Lapis stepped forward, glaring at the one she had been imprisoned with for so long.

"Wait!" Steven begged as he got between the two gems. "We don't have to fight, let's just talk!"

Lapis took a look at Steven, seeing the pleading look in his eyes, he really wanted to help. With a stiff nod, she took a step back and released the warrior gem. Jasper fell in a heap, but regained her footing in a second and prepared for another attack.

Lapis was at the ready as well while Steven dropped his bubble.

Jasper was confused by this action. "What're you playing at Rose!?"

"I'm not my mom!" Steven stated quickly. "I'm her son!"

"Her what?" Jasper asked in confusion. _What is she playing at?_ Her eyes then caught a flash of green behind the half gem. "Peridot?"

"Hello Jasper." The green gem greeted, trying to be brave.

Jasper looked to see the Peridot that she was supposed to escort for the mission. Jasper had assumed the little gem had been destroyed, or had run away. Peridots weren't fighters. She was missing her limb enhancers, but for the most part she was unharmed. Calm even, given the situation. Was she really a traitor as well, not a prisoner?

"What's going on here!?" Jasper demanded.

"Steven here speaks the truth, he is not Rose Quartz." Peridot took this moment to step forward and explain as best she could. "He's some kind of hybrid offspring between a human of this planet and Rose Quartz."

Jasper didn't speak immediately, she kept a crucial eye on the smaller gem. She had a chance to fully question the Peridot, but now that she could, she needed to know.

"Are you a prisoner?"

"N-Negative." Peridot stated, looking away from the larger gem. "Steven and I are...friends."

"What!?" Jasper exclaimed in outrage. "How could you side with these traitors!?"

Peridot began to cower under the larger gems exclamation, clinging to Steven. Lapis prepared to attack.

"Being a friend doesn't make you a traitor!" Steven states. "You can be friends and disagree! Connie and I disagree on the ending to 'Familiar Familiars' and are still friends!"

Jasper looked at the little half-ling in confusion. "What's...a Connie?"

"Connie's my friend." Steven answered with a smile. "She's a human and-."

Jasper grabbed Steven by his shirt, much to Lapis' and Peridot's fear, and lifted him with ease, pulling him to eye level. She looked closely at Steven, examining him. How his eyes were wide with fright and even tearing up, he was close to crying. The way he trembled in her hands. Even the way his body poured off sweat. None of these were the characteristics of the gem warrior who led the rebellion for the war. The warrior who decimated some of Home-World's best and brightest. The gem that stood tall and never wavered. The gem that had earned her respect.

"I guess you really aren't Rose." Jasper stated as she dropped him. "She wasn't such a coward."

"Steven is no coward!" Lapis shouted as she helped him stand. "He was brave enough to give _you_ a chance!"

"Actually I-" Peridot tried to speak up, but was cut off.

"And why would I want a _chance_ from this-abomination?" Jasper asked with a sneer.

"Don't you call him that!" Lapis ordered.

The water began to rise behind Lapis, taking the form of a hand. It didn't move from the position, waiting for some kind of signal to strike. Jasper smirked, not in the slightest bit intimidated by the water.

Before either gem could react, Steven ran to the center of them. He held his arms out to keep them at bay, though it was unlikely it would have been effective.

"You don't have to do this!" Steven declared as he stood between them.

"Yes, we do." Jasper stated without looked at him.

"No you don't!"

"Steven..." Lapis whispered.

"I'm a soldier, it's my purpose in life." Jasper stated proudly. "I live to fight."

"That...horrible!" Steven whimpered.

Jasper turned and glared at the little half-gem. Steven flinched and almost fell over, expecting a blow that could kill him.

"I live to preserve the order of the Gem Empire!" Jasper shouted in rage. "But you, you little abomination are-!

Jasper was silenced when a large ball of ice collided with her. The ice shattered as Jasper fell to the ground, but it quickly reformed and rejoined the other liquid under Lapis' control.

"I warned you!" Lapis shouted.

"Wait!" Steven cried.

Lapis brought down her water hand, but this time Jasper was prepared. She jumped to the side allowing the water to land on the ground forming a crater. Jasper charged forward with her Crash Helmet aimed at Lapis.

Lapis raised a wall of water and froze it solid as her defense. Jasper didn't stop when the wall formed, she actually seemed to pick up more speed. With a last second lunge, she shattered the wall and collided with Lapis, knocking the blue gem to the ground.

Jasper landed on her feet, which she raised and brought down, intending to stomp on the downed Lapis. The blue gem rolled to the side in the nick of time and took a crouched position. She raised the water and formed two boulder like ice masses. She launched them at the incoming Jasper who just head-butted through them and continued on.

Lapis pulled the moisture from the air and formed her wings, flaring them before she took off directly for Jasper. She twisted her body mid-flight to kick Jasper on the side of her head, knocking her helmet off. The larger gem faltered, but stood her ground.

"You're a pretty aggressive fighter." Jasper taunted as she grabbed the smaller gem's limb, trapping her. "Looks like you picked up something in our time together!"

Jasper tightened her grip as spun the blue gem over her head before she brought Lapis down onto the ground, hard. Thankfully Lapis landed on her front, avoiding her gem. Lapis twisted her body forward so that she could push her free leg up with all of her might. Her foot connected with Jasper's gem, forcing the larger gem back.

The pain and shock from the sudden attack was easily washed away with fear. Jasper brought her hands up to inspect her gem, feeling it's smooth surface filled her with instant relief. There was no crack. That relief was burned away by her anger.

"You're dead!" Jasper shouted.

With a loud battle cry, she ran towards the little gem, intent on crushing her.

"Wait!" Steven cried as he ran between them.

Jasper didn't even spare him a glance as she passed him. She just swung her arm and swatted him aside and continued on to her enemy. Even with little effort, she was able to send Steven crashing into a unmoving heap.

"Steven!" Lapis and Peridot cried in fear.

All of her anger forgotten and replaced with worry, she flew towards the downed half-gem. Peridot on her heels. Jasper just looked at them in contempt.

"Fools." Jasper whispered. _Who pauses in the middle of a battle?_

Not one to waste an opportunity, Jasper coiled her legs and jumped. Being a gem warrior, she was able to go pretty high, a good five stories. Once she reached maximum height, she began spinning in place, building momentum. Once she reached maximum velocity, she charged towards the trio. The aura covering her body giving her the look of a comet.

There was a thunderous noise that rang out as Jasper collided with something hard. Whatever she crashed into didn't budge, forcing Jasper to take the full force of the impact. Stunned from the blow, she began to stumble as she stepped back in an attempt to regain her bearings.

 _What was-_ Her question was answered before it was asked.

There was Ros-Steven's shield barrier, floating there in all it's glory. He had managed to summon it in the nick of time to protect his friends.

With Steven being okay and Jasper stunned, Lapis acted. She raised her water hand to grasp Jasper and raise her high before freezing, trapping the gem.

"You just don't learn do you!" Lapis shouted in rage. "You just don't care!" She began adding pressure to the frozen hand. "I'm going to crush you and then you won't even be a thought to Steven!"

 _No!_ Steven thought horrified as he grabbed her. "Wait Lapis, we-"

"I'm doing this for you!" Lapis declared as she pushed him away.

Steven fell onto his back and looked up at the blue gem sadly, hurt by her actions. Jasper saw this and gave a strained laugh, much to Lapis' discomfort.

"Y-Yeah, keep telling him that. Keep telling yourself that." Jasper taunted as she struggled. "You just w-want to crush me because you h-hate me. A-And bec-cause you fear me! Not because you care for the a-abomi-nation." Jasper may be crushed here, but she wouldn't give the gem traitor any satisfaction in her defeat.

"Shut up!" Lapis screamed.

Steven grabbed onto the blue gem's arm again. "Please Lapis." He begged, looking into her eyes. "Please don't let her be right."

Lapis looked into Steven's eyes, still as innocent as ever, still seeing hope in every gem.

She wanted to listen to him, to prove he was right to trust her. She really did. But Jasper was right there! The source of her anger! All she had to do was add a little more pressure! Just a little!

Jasper looked the blue gem in the eyes. "Do it."

Freezing the water around the quartz gem's torso, Lapis dropped the gem, letting her fall into a heap. She was sparing Jasper. If for no other reason than to prove that she wasn't _anything_ that Jasper said she was.

Steven ran towards the downed Jasper who was getting her bearings. He stopped a few feet from her, just outside of her reach. Though her arms were bound, she still had those powerful legs.

"Are...you okay?" He asked cautiously.

"Get away from me!" Jasper demanded causing him to flinch.

"Jasper." Peridot began.

"Shut up!" Jasper shouted as she began rising to full height. "I don't want to hear anything from a traitor! I aught to crush you right now!"

"You don't have to hurt people!" Steven said to defend his friend. "You don't have to be bad, we can all be friends!"

Jasper reeled back as if she had been struck, a look of both disgust and indignation clear on her face. It quickly turned to a look of rage.

" _I'm_ not the bad one here! I'm not the villain!" Jasper declared angrily. "You and your traitorous Crystal Gems are!"

 **Review**

 **How was it, not too fast or out of character was it?**

 **I'd like to give a shout out to LadyDetia who actually inspired this fic. If Rupphire(Garnet) is your OTP, then I recommend you read Angel in a Blue Dress and it's spin-off All that matters if you love some Jasper/oc.**


	2. Chapter 2

I do not own 'Steven Universe'

 **Chapter 2**

" _I'm_ not the bad one here!" Jasper declared angrily. "You and your traitorous Crystal Gems are!"

"W-What?" Steven asked, taken back. "No, the Crystal Gems protect the Earth! We-"

"The _Crystal Gems_ ," Jasper spat. "Are the ones who _started_ the war for this miserable planet! _Shattered_ countless gems! They are without a doubt _the_ most selfish beings I have ever met!"

"W-What?" Steven asked fearfully as he stepped back. "They saved the Earth and the people!"

"Saved?" Jasper asked before laughing mockingly at the boy. "They didn't _save_ anything! All they did was buy some time on this hunk of rock before they were destroyed!"

"That's not true!" Steven stated firmly. "Right, Peridot!?"

Peridot stared at him with an awkward shrug. "She's kinda right."

"What?"

"You won the battle for one planet, out of the countless ones in the galaxy. One you would have lost to the Cluster if not for me." Peridot added proudly. "Now look at you, you'd be helpless against another assault by the Gem Empire."

Steven knew her words were true, the Gem Empire wouldn't even need to send too many gems. Jasper alone had nearly subdued the Crystal gems, another gem on her level and they were doomed.

"Face it, this planet is on borrowed time as it is." Peridot stated casually. "Honestly it was a foolish move."

"B-But you're a Crystal Gem too." Steven stated, caught off guard by her bluntness. "You said that the Earth had things worth protecting."

"Affirmative." Peridot nodded. "You."

"Wha-"

"While I find some of the things on this rock fascinating, I'd never call my Diamond a clod for them." Peridot stated as if it were obvious. "You'd have to be insane to do something like that. Home-World and all it's territory expansions offer just as much, if not more, interesting sights."

"B-But you did it for me?" Steven asked. He was both touched and confused at that.

"You-You treated me like my own gem." Peridot stated with a smile. "No one's ever done that before. I've always just been 'Peridot Facet-2F5L Cut-5XG' of Home-World. Just another thing that had plenty of replacements at the slightest miscalculation on my part." She looked Steven in the eyes. "You, against all logic and reason, made me feel like I'm a...friend. Like I matter."

"You do matter!" Steven insisted. "Everyone matters!"

"Even those who serve no function?" Peridot asked.

"What?" He asked confused.

"Only those that serve a purpose matter." Jasper stated factually. "Those that don't are a waste, a waste that can spread."

"How can you decide someone has no purpose?" Steven asked horrified. "How can you call someone a waste?"

"If one can't help, they'll just hinder Steven." Lapis stated absentmindedly as she continued to glare at Jasper.

"Ha!" Jasper barked with satisfaction. "Even the Lazuli brat knows that your traitorous partners are nothing but that, traitors!"

Steven looked at her pleadingly. "Lapis?"

"The Crystal Gems left me trapped in a mirror Steven. A mirror." Lapis stated coldly, not even looking at him. "They kept me in there for thousands of years! I was trapped _alone_ , only released to be _used_." She looked at him, her eyes cold. "Even _they_ seemed to think of usefulness, for me at least."

Steven remembered how Pearl had treated the mirror Lapis was trapped in like a tool. Treated Lapis like a tool. And would have simply discarded her like trash had Steven not interfered. Pearl had handed it- _her_ over to him like she was nothing. Then they tried to take her away when they found out she was still there. Not once did they show any concern for the gem in there, for Lapis. Steven lowered his head, he couldn't think of anything to justify that. He didn't really want to. To be alone for so long...

"I'm sorry." Steven muttered.

Lapis turned to see that he was close to tears. She hadn't wanted to hurt the boy, she was just being honest about it.

"No Steven, it's not _your_ fault!" Lapis declared as she knelt down to him.

"But my mom-"

"Your mom!" Lapis declared. "Not you, never you! You're...innocent."

"I'm...a Crystal Gem too." Steven declared, though not as proudly as usual.

"You've never had the chance to be anything else!" Lapis stated. "On Home-World, you'd have been trained to use your abilities to help benefit our society! You'd be amazing! I wish you could see it Steven, even now with all it's changes it's beautiful." Lapis stated with a faraway look in her eye. "The stuff you see here on this planet are just a fraction of Home-World's true awe, and nothing compared to the beauty of some other worlds."

 _She sounds just like Pearl._ Steven thinks as he remembers the time she had almost taken them to space.

"If you care so much for Home-World, why'd you abandon it?" Jasper asked. She didn't mean for it to sound snarky, she was genuinely curious.

"I didn't!" Lapis shouted as she gave her a menacing glare. "Even _you_ have to understand loyalty. Even _you_ have to respect that."

In truth, Lapis felt as if Home-World had abandoned her. They were the ones to place her in the mirror without a chance to explain herself. They left her in the mitts of traitors for thousands of years! What was she supposed to think!?

Then this...boy, ignorant of all the horrors came along. He talked to her. Tried to understand her. He even tried to befriend her, and succeeded. Then he did something she had long since lost hope of ever happening. He freed her. Then he forgave her for betraying him to Home-World.

For those reasons, she was determined to repay his kindness. No matter what.

"I think he would do great things for Home-World." Peridot states.

"He's a Quartz, he'd be a soldier." Jasper stated matter of factually before looking at Steven. "His shield is...durable." She admitted, albeit grudgingly.

A soldier, like Jasper? Living to fight? The thought horrified the boy. He wanted people to be happy, not in pain!

"No!" Steven shouted. "I don't want to hurt anyone! Gems shouldn't fight!"

"You didn't seem to mind when the gem where fighting off the Cluster mutants." Peridot states, not understanding his conflict. "Or when you tell me those stories of when you all fought off the corrupt gems." She paused to think before glaring. "You didn't seem to mind when you through your shield at me! And you were proud of your victory over Jasper."

Steven lowered his head in defeat. She was right, he was not better than what he was trying to stop.

"That just proves it." Jasper states smugly. "Violence can be used for _good_."

"That depends on your definition of good." Lapis stated with a sneer.

"Like what?" Steven asked.

"There's protecting." Peridot states. "That seems to be the main reason it's used by the Crystal Gems."

Steven was conflicted, the Crystal Gems did- _do_ save people using violence. A lot. He had even used violence, in anger, to save his friends from the Centipeedle Mother. But that was as a last resort! Right?

 _Centipeedle...Watermelon Stevens...Lapis..._ Now that he thought about it, the Gems do tend to destroy even the tiniest possibility of a threat. Even Peridot's statement on the moon, though opinionated, was met with anger and violence.

"But...they do it to protect me and the people." Steven whispered.

"So you see your life, or these apes, as better than a gems?" Jasper asked with raised eye brow. "Violence can only be used to defend this hunk of rock?"

"No!" Steven exclaimed. "I-I-"

"You're thinking with your feelings Steven, not with your head." Peridot stated. "Think with your head and you can see the things that had been clouded by...personal connections."

Steven didn't want to, but he felt that Peridot may have been on to something. If Home-World was as great as they say, then they had to be doing _something_ right.

Jasper just barked out in laughter as she noticed Steven's conflict. "This is rich!"

"What's so funny?" Lapis asked tensely.

"Him!" She barked, nudging her head to Steven. "He's starting to understand!" Even frozen, Jasper looked down at Steven in a superior manner. "How did you think this would work, that I would betray my home for your _friendship_ or something?" She mocked. "That we'd sing and dance and all be friends?"

Steven looked down in shame, he hadn't planned it like that. He hadn't planned anything. He honestly wanted to be friends with Jasper, with everyone, gem and human alike. And everything else.

"I-I just wanted to show you that there's a better way." Steven stated.

Jasper looked at him with narrowed eyes. "And who are _you_ to decide what's better? An empire doesn't last as long as it does from bad decisions."

"She has a point." Peridot chimed in.

"Don't forget, the gems came to this planet for one reason." Jasper stated as she crossed her arms. "I don't know what Rose saw in this planet, or care, but she turned traitor for it. Don't expect all of us to be so sentimentally defective. Some of us care for our true home."

"Not that you have much of a home to return to." Lapis snarked.

"What was that?" Jasper growled.

"Oh yeah, we didn't tell you." Lapis smirked. "Home-World sent some gems looking for you, five Rubies. They were searching for the gem in charge of the _failed_ Earth Mission."

Jasper didn't have blood, but she still seemed to pale from the information. Home-World thought she had failed and even sent gems to find her. That only meant one thing, she was in trouble.

"What happened to the Rubies!?" Jasper demanded. "Where are they!?

"We...kind of blew them into space." Steven stated.

"You what!?" Jasper shouted, making Steven flinch.

"I told them you were on the planet Neptune and they went to search for you!" Steven answered quickly. "Then they came back and Amethyst had to pretend to be you, then she couldn't pretend any longer! Then they Ruby's fused into Mega Ruby and we had blow them into space!"

If Jasper wasn't in such a dire situation, she would have laughed or groaned. Rubies were never the smartest of gems.

"Go home Steven." Lapis stated. "You need to rest and focus."

"What, but what about-"

"Jasper won't do anything, not that it would have any meaningful results. She's as stranded as the rest of us." Lapis stated. "I'll keep her frozen until you return. Go, rest."

Steven looked at the blue gem and smiled, he was tired. Now if only he could find out where Lion went.

* * *

Steven and Peridot walked back to the house in silence. Lion had brought him to the beach before wandering off. The green gem could tell that Jasper's words had had a strong affect on her friend. She was actually feeling bad because of it.

 _It appears I was too hasty in my lessons._ Peridot reasoned. _Maybe Steven wasn't as advanced as I had assumed._

"I must apologize Steven, it seems that my efforts to reform Jasper has had the opposite affect." She spoke. "I believe that's called...irony."

"It's okay." Steven whispered as he continued walking.

Peridot looked at the moving boy before shrugging. If he said he was okay then he was okay, right?

Steven was currently deep in thought, considering all that he had heard and comparing it to what he had learned growing up.

He had been so far lost in thought that he hadn't realized he had made it home until he bumped into the screen door. Without a second thought he opened it and walked inside, there he saw the Crystal Gems. They hadn't noticed him, each lost in there own world. It seemed they hadn't noticed he was missing either, no doubt not suspecting him to leave in the middle of the night.

"Hey, guys." Steven spoke up uneasily, gaining their attention. "I-"

"Steven, you should be asleep." Pearl chided, cutting him off. "You humans need your rest."

"I...have a question about the Crystal Gems, and my mom." He whispered.

Pearl was shocked by the sudden, albeit weak, declaration, but happy to answer it all the same. Garnet and Amethyst turned towards them, now curious.

"Are...Are the Crystal Gems the bad guys?" Steven asked with uncertainty.

"What, no!" Pearl declared. "We defend the Earth, what's nicer than that?"

"Why?" Steven asked.

"Excuse me?" Pearl asked confused.

"Why do you all defend the Earth?" Steven asked as he looked at the other gems.

"Well Rose-"

"No, why do _you_ defend the Earth?" Steven pushed. "Why did you join my mom?"

The gems took a moment to consider the answer. They each looked at each other before nodding.

"I...joined your mother because she gave me purpose as something more than a...trinket." Pearl stated. "She taught me that I could be whoever and whatever I wanted."

"I fight for the Earth because it's here that I'm free to be me." Garnet explained as she showed the gems on her hand. "The love of Ruby and Sapphire."

"I was born here after the war." Amethyst stated with a shrug. "The Earth is my home."

Steven backed away from the gems after he heard their answer. It was exactly as Jasper had stated.

"That's...selfish!" Peridot accused.

"What!?" Pearl reeled back in shock.

Peridot pointed to Amethyst. "You are exempt because, like Steven, this planet is all you've ever known." She pointed to Pearl. "Though you were following your basic nature, you joined because you blindly served a gem traitor. You!" She pointed to Garnet. "Chose your own feelings over the countless gem lives out there!"

Garnet and Pearl took a step towards Peridot, intent obvious on their faces. Steven decided to speak up to save his friend.

"You all joined for personal reasons but..." Steven stated as he looked at the gems. "Did any of you agree with mom's belief on humans?"

"Of course we do!" Pearl exclaimed.

"Then why do you close yourself off from them?" Steven asked. "Why don't you and humans hang out?"

"I-we-" Pearl looked to her fellow gems for assistance.

Garnet could only shrug in response, she was never much of a social gem, she was content to just be. Amethyst was often around humans, until Pearl dragged her away. Pearl tried to come up with a rational answer, but Steven wasn't giving her anytime. He had more questions he wanted-needed answers to.

"What about the Home-World gems?"

"W-What about them?" Pearl asked uneasily.

"Well, nothing changed with them did it?" Steven asked as he imagined the planet. "They are still going on with the way things were, as if the rebellion never happened, right? And they were just fighting for their own people, right?" Steven asked. "Why _did_ mom rebel? Why Earth? Why-"

Steven felt a comforting hand on his shoulder, he looked up to see Garnet kneeling down before him.

"Steven, where is all of this coming from?" Garnet asked.

"He's thinking with his head, not his heart." Peridot stated.

Garnet turned her head to look at Peridot. Though you couldn't see her eyes you could feel her glare from behind her shades. She stood up and walked towards the green gem and looked down at her. Even if she couldn't see it, Peridot trembled under the fusion's gaze.

"What did you tell him?" Garnet demanded.

Peridot was blunt, but she had learned that some things sent the gems off. She was starting to learn what they were and Steven was at the top of the list. Her action had been dangerous.

"We...had a discussion about Home-World." Peridot admitted, though keeping the important information to herself.

"It's...a lot like what Pearl said." Steven stated as he looked to said gem.

"What!?" Pearl asked indignantly.

"You're always talking about how great the stuff from Home-World is." Steven stated. "About how amazing it is and when you talk about Earth and it's humans..."

"You often mention how insignificant they are." Peridot finished.

Pearl looked from Steven to Peridot to the other gems and back. True, she has talked about the beauty of Home-World, but she never meant to cause a trouble.

"What was Home-World really like?" Steven asked.

"It doesn't matter." Peridot stated insistently. "Earth is your home. All of our homes."

"But Home-World was yours." Steven countered.

"Rose Quartz believed-"

"I know what mom believed!" Steven cried in frustration. "You tell me all the time! What do _you_ believe in!?"

"I believed in your mother!"

"But why, y-"

Pearl had had enough of Steven's questioning. "What does it matter why I did it!?"

"You-"

"Your mother fought for these pathetic, one lifespan three-dimensional skin puppets who fumble around with their very existence!" Pearl shouted in frustration. "She gave up on the Great Gem Empire and fought them off of this piece of dirt so that they could have a chance! Then she decides to-to _mate_ with one of the lowly creatures and gives up her form leaving us, who've been with her, who loved her, alone!" She continued, though it seemed as if the last part was more to herself. "She's done more for this planet than you will ever know! The least you can do is be grateful for it!"

Was he being ungrateful? That's not what he wanted, he just wanted to know! Was that so wrong?

"I-I'm sorry!" Steven whimpered as he backed away.

"Don't be sorry!" Pearl shouted as she grabbed his arm, keeping him in place. "You're part of Rose! You _are_ Rose! So why don't you-!"

"Pearl!" Garnet shouted.

"What the heck P!?"

It was at that moment that Pearl snapped from whatever rage-spell she was under. Looking down at the cowering Steven and herself, she realized what she was doing. In her anger, she had grabbed onto Steven in a painful grip. When she let go she saw a painful looking bruise already forming.

"I-I Steven, I-" Pearl fumbled with her words in an attempt to apologize.

As soon as she released him, he backed away from the incoherent gem. Steven didn't want to hear anything Pearl had to say. All he wanted to do was get away, to hide from her. All he wanted-

As Steven's desire for escape grew his gem began to glow. It was matched by the glow of the Temple's entrance, the door to Rose's room had opened. Not wasting any time, Steven ran to his desire.

* * *

It had only been a few minutes since Steven had ran away from Pearl, but it felt like hours. Hours that he had spent crying in both resentment and fear, it didn't seem that the tears would be stopping soon.

"I-I just wanted to-to know why." Steven stated through the tears.

"Choice."

Steven's head snapped up to see who had spoken. He was shocked to see the image of his mother. It wasn't hard to understand what was happening, even for Steven to realize that the room was creating her, but it was still...out there. She was larger than he had expected, and looked as happy and regal as she did in her photos. Steven backed away from the construct. The room had showed him many things, but he had never considered this.

It was more than a little overwhelming.

"W-What?"

Rose knelt down to look Steven in the eyes, though her large form still required her too look down at him.

"On Home-World, choice is not a luxury." She stated sadly. "It's a privilege that very few get to have and even then it's limited. Gems live under the Diamond, only their power is absolute."

From the pink void of the room appeared Peridot, behind her were the Crystal gems and Lapis. Even Jasper appeared.

"Under their rule there is order." Construct Peridot stated. "Order breeds progress."

"It also removes individuality." Construct Garnet stated without looking at her.

The Peridot construct lowered her head at that. Her original had just stated that herself not too long ago.

"Individuality is separation." The fake Jasper countered. "Separation leads to disagreement, disagreement leads to conflict."

"Conflict is why you exist." Fake Pearl stated.

"And why the concept of fusion exists." Fake Jasper countered with a smirk.

The gems continued to each give there own comments from their own stand point while Steven and Rose watched. The statements turned from a debate into an argument, with raised voices and flailing arms. Then it became physical. The Crystal gems and the Home-World gems began to fight among each other, dispelling themselves.

It was just 'Rose' and Steven.

"There is no 'Know' in this type of situation, only understanding. We can all give you different statements, but they would all be opinionated." Rose stated. "I did what I did because I thought it was right, that was _my_ belief. Everyone has one, you need to decide yours."

"What...do you mean?" Steven asked confused.

Again the Rose construct knelt down to Steven's level and looked him the eyes. Even if she wasn't real, her eyes looked very kind.

"Steven, would you like to see Home-World for yourself?"

 **Review**

 **Was anyone out of character?** **Was anything moving too fast or too slow?**


	3. Chapter 3

I do not own 'Steven Universe'

 **Chapter 3**

Steven pulled his cell from his pocket, he had learned that he could get into some crazy predicaments on his own. It was best to have a way to call someone to get him out of said predicament. He dialed the number, waiting for his friend to pick up. The seconds ticked by.

 _She's not going to answer._ Steven though. _She's probably sleep or-_

"Hello?" A tired voice answered.

"H-Hello." Steven replied nervously.

"Steven, Steven Universe?" Mrs. Maheswaran asked. "Do you have any idea what time it is young man!?"

"No." He didn't.

"I don't know how you and your magical family live, but we sleep at a reasonable time here!" She shouted.

"I'm...sorry." He stated, down trotted.

Mrs. Maheswaran was taken back by the usually upbeat boy sounding so...downbeat. She decided to calm herself. Maybe it was her because of her oath as a Doctor, or maybe it was her maternal side, either way, she felt obligated to try and help the boy.

"Is everything okay Steven?" She asked evenly.

"I...I don't know." He admitted.

"Tell me what's wrong and I'll try and give you a prescription." She joked in hopes of easing his tension.

Steven hesitated, he had wanted to talk to Connie, his best friend. It wasn't that he disliked Mrs. Maheswaran, he was just a little intimidated by her. She was a pretty stern woman at times. Unfortunately, he was out of options on who he could talk to. He doubted she would let him talk to Connie at this time, he was still unsure if it was too late or too early.

 _Well...she did raise Connie._ Steven reasoned.

"What do you do when you don't know who to believe?" Steven asked. "The ones you trust have one personal belief, but everyone else has a different one?"

"...You find out for yourself." She answered. "Not everyone shares the same thoughts and you can't just make someone believe another. You have to find where you stand, not where everyone else does."

 _Find out for myself._ Steven thought.

"Thank you Mrs. Maheswaran." He said gratefully before hanging up.

* * *

It was quite when Steven opened the door from Rose's room to the house. When he peaked out to look around he saw that there was no one there. Either the gems were in their rooms or on another mission. Good, he couldn't face them now.

Racing through the room, he quickly put on his usual outfit and left as silently as possible.

There was only one person he wanted to talk to, that he could talk to.

* * *

"Dad, can I talk to you?" Steven asked.

"Uh oh." Greg spoke as he looked at his usually upbeat son being so down. "This looks like serious talk."

"The serious-iest." Steven agreed.

Greg let Steven into the van so that they could have some privacy for their conversation. Steven told his dad almost everything. How he had freed Jasper in hopes of helping her change her ways. How she now has him questioning his. The conversation turned argument with the Crystal gems. He even through in the big advice that Connie's mom had given him. However he left the part with his mom's room, that wasn't something his dad needed.

"This...this _is_ serious." Greg stated with a sigh.

"I want to believe the Crystal gems, I really do." Steven insisted. "But...I don't know, the others make it seem that Home-World isn't that bad, that they're happy. Or were." He corrected. "The only trouble seemed to start when...when mom started the rebellion."

Steven felt bad for mentioning that as he didn't want to make it sound as if he were blaming his mother, but that's what he got from the little facts he had. Greg noticed Steven become downtrodden at the last part, he felt it himself. It was moments like that that reminded him of why Rose came to Earth in the first place. To invade and conquer.

"And you don't know who to believe?" Greg stated in semi-understanding.

"Mrs. Maheswaran says that I need to find out for myself." Steven states while looking his dad in the eyes. "And I...agree."

Greg looked down at his son and saw the look in his eyes. It made him smile a bittersweet smile.

"Ephesians 5:31." Greg stated. "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh."

"What?" Steven asked, confused.

"An old saying, probably the oldest." Greg stated distantly. "Steven, I...don't know what to tell you. I've never been in your situation. The closest I ever came to it was when I gave up college to become a musician. Which I gave up when I met Rose. Then again, I was just a guy following his heart."

"But that's how you met mom." Steven stated with a small smile.

"Yeah, I did." He stated with a smile. "I don't regret a single second of it either. Steven, I did what I'm sure your mother would tell you, follow your heart."

"But following her heart is what started the rebellion." Steven stated sadly. "Peridot says you have to follow your head."

"Ok, what does your head say?" Greg asked.

"To get the information myself." Steven answered.

"And what does your heart say?"

"...To get the information."

"See, when you have no doubt, then you should follow what you feel."

Steven considered the words, it was pretty sound to him.

"Thanks dad!" Steven exclaimed as he ran off. "I know what I need to do!"

"No problem!" Greg called out.

As Greg watched the retreating figure of his son he felt an overwhelming emotion he couldn't describe. A single tear fell. Followed by a stream. All the while he didn't stop smiling.

 _They grow up so fast._ He thought as he wiped away the tears. _You'd be proud of him Rose._

* * *

Peridot was terrified. Steven had left her alone with Lapis _and_ Jasper!

Well technically Steven ran into a pink room after the Pearl lost her calm. Peridot may not be a master of the Earth, but she knew when it was time to leave. Steven had seemed to find refuge in a secure room that the other's couldn't seem to enter, Pearl's banging and begging was proof. Without him to protect her, she knew it was time to leave.

When she returned, the tension wasn't much better. Lapis wouldn't stop staring-well _glaring_ at Jasper, obviously having great resentment towards her. She was just waiting for the Quartz gem to make any kind of move that she didn't like. All the while Jasper treated her like she wasn't there.

The Quartz was staring at her, Peridot, had been since she returned hours ago but...she wasn't glaring. She looked like she was deep in thought. This terrified Peridot all the more. She wasn't used to the larger gem just sitting quietly and watching her. Jasper was a soldier, they acted not thought. She felt like a mouse! A mouse cornered by a tiger!

"How is the Cluster's progress?" Jasper asked, making the smaller gem jump.

"Um, the progress is at a...standstill." Peridot answered with an uneasy shrug.

"Standstill?" Jasper asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I...don't know, I don't have my screen or information." Peridot partially admitted, looking at the ground. "I just know that it was do to emerge with in the past thirty Earth cycles."

"Hm." Jasper considered this. "And the progress for the ship."

"The ship?" Peridot asked with her own raised eyebrow.

"You _are_ rebuilding the ship, right?" Jasper asked with a raised eyebrow. "To get off this miserable rock."

"Actually, no." Peridot stated awkwardly.

"What have you been doing!?" She demanded, standing up in anger.

Lapis stood as well, glaring at the larger gem. Jasper just looked at her and snorted.

"We've built a drill!" She answered quickly, hoping to defuse the tension. "To s-stop the cluster."

"Stop!?" She asked incredulously. "You really _did_ go against Yellow-Diamond!?"

Jasper could have accepted her being a prisoner. But to be a full on traitor-

"I had no choice!" Peridot exclaimed, trying to reason with the warrior gem. "I was trapped and the only other option was to destroy the Cluster before it emerged! I didn't want to die!"

Jasper looked down at the smaller gem, cowering before her. If she decided to attack the Peridot wouldn't stand a chance. Her legs alone was fast enough to catch the Peridot if she ran and strong enough to stomp her into dust. Unfortunately, she may have need of her in the future. And she didn't feel like dealing with the Lapis. The Lapis, that was a whole situation she wasn't ready for. Taking a calming breath, she pulled her anger back and turned from the green gem.

"Hmph, what should I have expected from a _defective_ Peridot." She snarks making the smaller gem flinch. "The one thing you were made for, and you couldn't even accomplish that."

At the moment Jasper was more upset than anything, not angry, just upset. She was stranded on this planet and her leaders thought she was a failure. She needed someway to fix the situation she was in.

"I-I couldn't build a ship on my own anyway." Peridot stated sadly, trying to save a little face. "I don't have my limb enhancers or the strength."

Jasper's head swung to the Peridot, sensing an opportunity.

"Well now you have me." Jasper stated while standing tall.

"Building one from scratch capable of getting us to Home-World would have taken too much time. The Crystal gems would never allow it." Peridot stated. "And Earth technology is so far behind it's sad, and the remnants of the ship were hidden by the Crystal gems."

Jasper considered this. They didn't have the time, the means or even the parts. What _did_ they have?

"I know where they are!" A familiar voice added.

The three gems turned to see Steven. How long had he been there?

The half gem looked up at Jasper with an excitement the orange gem couldn't understand.

"You do?" Peridot spoke. "Why don't you tell me these things in advance!?"

"Yeah!" Steven answered quickly. "I know where the parts from your ship are and how to get to them! I can take you there!"

"Why would you give the enemy assistance of any kind?" Jasper asked suspiciously.

"We," Lapis spoke, motioning to her and the green gem. "Aren't his enemies."

Steven took a deep breath as he steeled his nerves, he needed them.

"I want to come with you." Steven stated seriously.

All three gems looked at Steven as if they had misheard him. Maybe they had a little crazy in their ears.

"...What?"

"I want to come with you three to see what Home-World is really like." He stated. "I want to see why the Crystal Gems hate it, but you three seem to love it."

"And if you don't like it?" Lapis asked, even more curious than anything. "It's not like you can one day just up and leave."

"It's...not about if I like it." Steven reasoned. "I just want to understand. I want to know why. I just...need to know."

Jasper looked at the half-ling.

 _This_ thing _wants to go to Home-World?_ Her first response was going to be no, but she stopped before she acted rash. Even if she could find the parts on her own, there was no way she could actually build the ship itself, let alone repairing the destroyed parts. She needed Peridot and, though she didn't want to admit it, Steven. It seemed that the green gem was devoted to him now. This was probably going to be her only chance to get off of this rock.

 _Not my problem afterwards._ She reasoned.

If anything, bringing this watered down Rose Quartz to the Diamonds could benefit her. Get her out of whatever trouble she may be in, even get rewarded. This was the gem that shattered a Diamond. Her Diamond.

"Deal."

Lapis looked at Jasper with a glare, obviously suspicious of the soldier. Jasper had agreed to help Steven too easily, there was no way she wasn't up to something. Lapis would have made a comment, but Steven looked so happy, and the thought of going home with him was just too tempting. With him, she was sure that she could find away to avoid being punished.

She'd deal with Jasper when the time came.

"No deal! I can't go back to Home-world, I'm a traitor!" Peridot stated in panic. "I called Yellow-Diamond a _clod_! To her face! She'll have me shattered! Then reformed and shattered again!"

"Well...maybe if you take her a peace offering then she'll forgive you." Steven offered.

"Your optimism knows no bounds." Peridot states sarcastically.

"He may be on to something." Lapis says in Steven's defense.

"He is?"

"I am?"

"You _were_ still a prisoner of the gems at the time and they _were_ trying to stop you, and you were defenseless. You did what you had to to survive another day." Lapis smiles at the Earth boy. "If we take something to the Diamonds as a sign loyalty, we may be able to avoid punishment." Lapis states. "I traded information after my...release to Blue-Diamond as a sign of my loyalty."

"It had better be a heck of a gift." Jasper snorts.

"You'll need one too." Lapis stated with a cold smirk. "After all, how else do you plan to explain why you failed?"

"..." Jasper remained silent. It was the only way to keep her pride intact.

The three gems turned to Steven to see is he had any ideas. The boy was in a thinking pose as he considered what would be useful.

"How about a handmade plushy that say 'I'm sorry' in a big heart?" Steven offered.

"A toy won't save me!" Peridot shouted. "I need something useful! I need...I need..."

"I know what you need." Lapis stated with a frown.

Before anyone could question her, she grabbed Steven and took off flying.

"So..." Steven began. "What're we looking for?"

"Prisoners." Lapis answered.

"What?"

"We're going to grab some of the Home-World gems that were bubbled during the war." Lapis stated. "They will be a sign of peace and loyalty to the Diamonds."

Steven stayed silent at the statement, not much he could say.

* * *

"Hello!" Steven called. "Any Crystal Gems inside?"

There was no answer. Steven took this as a sign that they were on a gem mission, or in their respective rooms. Either way, this was probably their only chance to get to the temple without a problem.

After grabbing his cheeseburger backpack, Steven led Lapis through his mother's room and down the pole to the temple. Unlike Peridot, Lapis was able to form wings and come to a graceful landing.

Once they landed, Lapis took a few steps away, her eyes wide with horror and tears.

"There's so many." She whispered.

She had been in their shoes, she knew their pain.

"Lapis?" Steven called.

Lapis was there, but her attention wasn't on the boy. She was looking at all of the bubbled gems hovering above them, a scowl on her face.

"Look at them, Steven." Lapis stated in a whisper. "This is what the Crystal gems did to those who fought against them in the war. Each of them are gems being robbed of their lives, prisoners in a war that ended so long ago."

"N-Not all of them." Steven stated. "Some of them are corrupt gems that need to be here to be safe. So no one get's hurt."

"Some are, Steven. Some."

They began to grab a bubble of the gems but stopped. They couldn't take too many or they'd risk alerting the gems to their actions. How could they tell which gem were corrupt and which were actual prisoners? How could they decide which to take and who to leave. They were all waiting to go home.

Steven grabbed one and made a mental apology to the others. He'd fine some way to free them, somehow.

* * *

"We're back!" Steven shouted as Lapis landed.

"Great!" Jasper exclaimed in annoyance. "Now that that's finished, can you take us to the ships!"

Steven nodded in affirmative, he knew where it was. The problem was actually getting there. They'd have to use the Warp-Pad. He was sure that he could get Lapis and Peridot there without _too_ many questions, Jasper was something else entirely. If they were caught then the gems would attack first and ask questions later.

He doubted Lapis could carry all three of them. _Jasper probably won't let us bubble her gem._ Steven thought. We need a direct way there. There was only one creature that Steven knew of with that type of ability.

"Lion!" He exclaimed.

As if being summon, the pink creature appeared.

It took one look at Jasper and began growling. Jasper began growling back.

"Easy there Lion." Steven calmed as he began stroking the pink fur. "She's on our side...I think."

Lion stared at Jasper with unblinking eyes, which Jasper returned, before yawning. There wasn't any _immediate_ danger.

"Can you take us to the Home-World Warp-pads?" Steven asked.

Lion gave Steven a blank look before lowering down for the half-ling to climb up. Once on, Steven patted the spot behind him.

"You want us to _ride_ that thing?" Jasper asked incredulously.

"Yeah." Steven answered with a smile. "Don't worry, he's the finest form of transportation."

Jasper took a single step forward, only for Lion to growl at her. She gave Steven an annoyed look.

"Finest, right?" She spoke sardonically.

"Come on Lion, don't be like that." Steven urged. "How else are we going to get to the Warp-Pad?"

Lion roared, opening a portal for the gems to enter. Unlike usual, the portal just sat there, waiting to be used.

"Is it safe?" Lapis asked.

Lion walked over to Steven and picked him up by his backpack and walked through the portal. Lapis and Peridot walked through after Steven. Jasper paused before following them. Once through, she saw that they were indeed at the Warp-Pads.

"He really did open a portal to the Warp-Pads." Jasper stated in shock.

"Yeah, told you he was the finest!" Steven stated cheerfully.

Steven ran to the edge of the platform where Amethyst had tossed off the limb enhancers. He looked down in an attempt to spot the parts, but saw only the moving water.

"Lapis, can you use your water magic to get Peridot her limbs back?" Steven asked.

Lapis gave the green gem a once over before giving Steven a stiff nod. She raised her hands and closed her eyes. They waited for several silent seconds before the water started to rise. Several water orbs rose towards the gems, containing the limb enhancers. They were just as he remembered them.

Peridot greedily grabbed the limbs and began fumbling with it. As she traced them machines she lost her smile to a deep frown.

"Ah no, they're ruined!" Peridot cried. "All my information, all my logs!"

"It's not waterproof?" Steven asked.

"Technically yes." Peridot stated. "I keep all my information stored in a file connected to a personal Home-World link-system, but the water is interfering with the signal's connection. It'll take days of drying before I can use these again."

Lapis moved Peridot to the side and waved her hand over the pile. A light mist began to form over the limbs as droplets of water began to crawl into Lapis' hand. Once all of the water was in her palm the limbs gave a hum of life. Without the water inside, her limbs were back to functioning order.

"You were saying?" Lapis teased.

Peridot immediately put on her limbs with a gleeful excitement. Once on she began walking around and opening up her screen, looking through the information.

"This is great!" Peridot exclaimed. "Everything's working perfectly!"

"Great, can we move on now?" Jasper asked with a roll of her eyes.

"Yes." Peridot spoke after regaining her composure. "You say that you know where the remnants of our ships are Steven?"

Steven nodded affirmative.

-One Lion Portal later

"This is where the Crystal gems stored all of the ships and other stuff." Steven stated.

It was similar to a junkyard, except it was for alien machinery. The pieces where just strewn about without any care for anyone who could stumble onto it, not that anyone would.

Jasper saw ships from when they had sent their first gems to colonize the planet thousands of years ago. They were covered in moss and other forms of vegetation from years of not being touched. She even spotted the ship, or at least parts of it, that she and the others used to come to the planet.

"It's all junk." Jasper stated.

"Pearl said that they would never fly, but I was thinking that if you use your smarts then you could get them up and going." Steven stated hopefully to Peridot. "You did get those death traps working against us."

Peridot began to scratch her face as she smiled in pride, Steven's words of encouragement were having a positive affect. Taking a moment of seriousness, she began to wonder if she could get the ships to fly. If she were to strip each ship of the necessary parts, then maybe. If all they needed was the barest necessity, then she was sure she could. Gem ships power cells lasted long and system degradation wasn't something they usually had to worry about.

"Yes." Peridot muttered as she examined the wreckage. "This should be...adequate Steven. A little worn and archaic but, with Jasper and Lapis, I should have us up and running in a few hours."

* * *

During the work, Steven tried to help as best he could, but even with his knew strength, he could barely move anything. It didn't take him long to reach exhaustion and take a nap. Once he awoke, he was in for a major shock.

"Whoa!" Steven exclaimed in awe. "You did all this so fast!?"

"Nice, isn't it?" Peridot asked proudly.

The ship wasn't a hand or a saucer, but a single finger. The index if he guessed correctly. Up close, he could see that it was as long as two public buses and just as wide. He couldn't wait to see the inside of it! It was a like a new gem adventure for him.

"It's awesome!"

"It isn't perfect, it's got too many flaws actually." Peridot stated with a frown. "We just don't have enough time for a proper ship. Otherwise we risk alerting the Crystal Gems to what we're doing

"It'll get us where we need to go, that's all that matters." Jasper stated, eager to leave.

"Alright, we just need to go over one last maintenance check before we're ready." Peridot stated, barely containing her excitement.

Without warning, Lion stood up and roared, opening a portal to who knows where. He leapt through before any of them could react.

"I wonder what's gotten into him." Steven spoke out loud.

"Who knows." Jasper grunted before turning away. "Who cares."

Before she could take a second step, another portal opened. Out came Lion.

"Lion!" Steven exclaimed.

The next surprise came when Connie stuck her head from Lion's mane, sucking in a large breath of air. She immediately laid eyes on her shocked friend.

"Steven!?"

"Connie?" Steven questioned as he ran to his friend. "What're you doing in Lion?"

"I thought he was hugging me!" She states as she crawls away from the creature. "He just shoved me in there, I couldn't breath!"

"Yeah, he did that to me too." Steven stated fondly. "I call it 'Adorable Trap'."

"Where are we, what's going on, why did Lion kidnap me!?" Connie asked frantically. She loved the magical adventures, but being kidnapped was unnerving, even by her friend's magical lion. Especially by her friend's magical lion!

"We are at the shipyard for-"

"That's a Connie?" A gruff voice asked, cutting him off. "The human runt?"

Turning to the speaker, Connie looked behind Steven to see the ship for the first time, and Jasper by it. Connie had never met Jasper, but she had been given a vivid description of the Home-World gem to know who she was. And her Jasper gem for a nose was a dead give away.

"Get behind me Steven!" Connie shouted as she placed herself before the gem.

Acting on instinct, Connie reached into Lion's mane and pulled out Rose's sword. She took a stance in front of Steven with her sword pointed at Jasper. She held it perfectly, just as she learned from her teacher.

Jasper reacted by summoning her Crash Helmet. Not against Connie, she didn't register the human as anything more than a nuisance, but the sword...She had seen that weapon before, seen the damage it could cause. She'd even felt it.

"Wait!" Steven shouted as he placed. "She's not here to fight!"

"Then why-"

She was cut off by the arrival of Peridot.

"That's the last of the repairs, the ship's ready to fly!" Peridot announced as she read over the data from her screen. The green gem looked from her screen to see Connie and Jasper with their weapons and Steven in the middle. "What's going on?"

"Fly where?" Connie asked as she looked to her friend. "Steven?"

Steven looked down, feeling ashamed at not telling Connie and for getting caught.

"We're...going to Home-World." Steven answered, not meeting her gaze.

"We?" Connie asked feeling a knot in her stomach. "As in them...and you?"

"Yes."

"And the Crystal gems?" She asked slowly.

"They...don't know." He admitted, not looking at her. "They might try to stop me and...I need to go."

Hearing that made Connie feel...cold...empty...alone. She was about to lose her best-her _only_ friend. _No!_ She couldn't accept that! She couldn't accept being alone again, not after having a one of a kind, amazing friend like Steven. She couldn't go back to the mundane, the loneliness.

 _What if he get's hurt!?_ She asked herself in a panic. _Or worse!_ Her fear for him began to overcome her fear of being alone. She'd never be able to forgive herself if anything ever happened to her friend. She needed to protect him, to _be_ with him, to-

"Take me with you!" She blurted.

"What?" Steven asked confused.

"Take me with you." She repeated more evenly. "To Home-World."

Steven had never considered that. He had planned to sneak away to avoid the gems trying to stop him. And any heartfelt goodbyes. The idea of taking his best friend with him was...He would love to take her with him, he couldn't think of anything that would make him happier right then. They could do so much together, it would be like one large adventure!

He immediately sobered his train of thought. He'd be putting her in danger if he did that. Taking her away and not knowing if he'd ever be able to bring her back.

 _That would be..selfish._ Steven realized. _This is her home._

"I...can't." Steven answered painfully. "You have dreams and I won't let you give up on everything you want."

Connie frowned as she looked down, her hair covering her face. "Well that's going to be a problem."

"Huh?"

She looked at him with honest determination and a large smile. "You're everything I want!"

 **Review**

 **Posted a new Gravity Falls fic, please give it a look.**


	4. Chapter 4

I do not own 'Steven Universe'

 _I must warn you that from this point on, all gems are guessed. The show has not mentioned the positions of more than a handful, so the rest are based on that and guess work._

 **Chapter 4**

This was it, the moment they were waiting for. They were going to see if the ship built with parts that were abandoned several millenniums ago was going to fly.

"Are all gems ready?" Peridot asked.

"Yes." Steven and Lapis answered, though Steven with more excitement. Jasper just grunted and gave a firm nod.

"Are you ready human?"

"Yes!" Connie answered as equally excited as Steven.

"Well blast off in 5...4...3 3/4...3...2 1/2...2..."

"Go!" Jasper shouted impatiently.

Peridot panicked and hit the 'Go' button as hard as she could. The ship began to give a deep groan and shake as it began to power up. Every part of the ship began to glow as the ship activated. Soon it began to hover off of the ground.

"This is it Steven!" Lapis stated gleefully. "You're going to see it!"

Connie grabbed Steven's hand in both excitement and fear. She was leaving everything she new behind, to see wonders her kind have never witnessed. She could do it, she had Steven. As long as she had him by her side, she could take on the world.

Suddenly the ship gave a unnerving screeching like noise before all of the lights went out. There was a tremor passing through the ship as it crashed to the ground. Peridot began to frantically push buttons and flip switches, she even pulled a lever or two. None of them gave any signs of life. Peridot groaned as she leaned back into the seat in defeat. It had failed.

"What's wrong with it!?" Jasper demanded.

"It...It failed! I'm sorry Steven!" Peridot stated sadly. "I thought I could get this hunk of junk flying."

"It's okay Peri." Steven stated reassuringly. He was sad it didn't work, but he still had hope. "We'll keep trying."

The green gem heard his words of encouragement, but they didn't make her feel better. If anything, they made her feel like a failure. She was a Peridot, technician was her purpose! And she failed! Peridot gave a shout of frustration as she kicked the computer system that she had been working on.

The ship gave a hum as everything activated simultaneously.

Everyone held their breath in expectation, waiting to see if the ship went off again. It didn't, it was working properly.

"See Steven, I told you I could get this ship to fly!" Peridot stated gleefully. "You shouldn't have doubted me!"

* * *

Connie looked through the window into space. She watched as Earth shrunk in the distance as she left her home. It hung in the nothingness like a blue marble.

It was...overwhelming to say the least. She was in space! She was literally leaving everything behind to go with Steven. Connie wasn't regretting her decision in the slightest, but still...it was big. It seemed that Steven saw that she was deep in thought by the look on her face.

"Are you okay?" Steven asked.

"Yeah." Connie answered after a beat.

Steven looked at his best friend, he could tell she was having mixed feeling. He looked between the shrinking planet and her.

"If you want to go back..." He began.

"No, I want this." She assured with a smile that almost fell. "It's just...I wish I had been able to say goodbye to my parents. But they would have just tried to stop me."

Steven pulled her into a hug.

"I understand." He said, he had done the exact same thing.

Connie look him with a smile, she was sure he did.

"Steven." Connie stated bashfully, with a blush on her face.

The two looked each other in the eyes, but said nothing. A indescribable force went through them as they looked at each other. Slowly, without being aware of it, they began to lean in to each other. There face was only inches apart-

"Steven."

The two practically jumped apart at the sudden intrusion. They turned to see Lapis in the doorway.

"Yes!?" Steven asked louder than he planned.

"Am I...interrupting?" Lapis asked as she looked at the two blushing youths.

"N-No, of course not!" Steven answered, trying to hide his embarrassment.

"Good." Lapis stated as she lightly grabbed his hand. "I wanted to show you something." She began steering him out of the room towards the control room.

Lapis turned to give Connie a look, not an offensive or defensive one, just a look. As if she were trying to...comprehend the girl. The look lasted only a second, but it did make Connie uncomfortable. Before Steven could notice the look, Lapis led him out of the room.

Connie stood there for a moment before following. When she entered, she felt her stomach clench.

Connie saw how close Steven and Lapis were. And she didn't like it. The blue gem was leaning closely into his back as she rested her hands on his shoulders. She was aiming Steven's attention towards the window of the ship, where she pointed to a random planet.

"There it is Steven!" Lapis spoke in awe. "A Gem controlled Planet!"

"Whoa!" Steven gasped.

To say that Steven was impressed was an understatement. The planet was nothing as he had imagined. He had imaged a broken planet with large cavities and strange rings surrounding it, similar to the image that Peridot had shown him on the moon. This...this was nothing like that. This planet was large, larger than Jupiter by...by a lot! The planet itself seemed to actually shine in the darkness of space, like it itself was a gem.

Lapis looked down at the boy and smiled at his amazement. She knelt down to his ear.

"Wait until we actually land on Home-World." Lapis whispered. "There are lots of things I want to show you."

Steven wasn't sure why, but her words made him shiver. Not in a cold way, but in an exciting way. He wasn't sure why, but he enjoyed that shiver.

"How long until we get to Home-World?" Connie asked.

Peridot began to run the numbers through her head. "Well we're moving at only five parsecs an hour, so a few days."

"Oh...How far is a parsec?" Steven asked.

"3.26 light-years."

"And how long is a-"

"Nineteen trillion miles." Peridot answered.

"That's...that's pretty fast." Steven stated.

"We're not going to Home-World, not directly." Jasper stated.

"What, why?" Peridot asked.

"This ship is barely holding it together." Jasper stated as the ship's lights began flickering to prove her point. "We just need to get to a gem controlled planet and we can just use a Warp-Pad to Home-World."

"Well this is the closest Gem controlled planet." Peridot stated uneasily. "If we get any closer we-"

The screen began to flash and give a low beeping noise. Whatever it was, it drew the attention of the gems, and even made Peridot tremble in her limb enhancers.

"What's that?" Connie asked.

"We're being contacted by their main communication center." Peridot informed nervously. No doubt she was afraid of who would be on the other line.

"Put them through." Jasper ordered.

Peridot did just that. The screen suddenly turned into static nothing, the signal didn't go through. Their ship was so old that they didn't have any visual aid, so they had to rely solely on audio. Even then it was unclear from time and compatibility.

"You are- _zzz_ -unregistered ship flying- _zzz_ -a gem controlled system?" A static voice stated. "St- _zzz_ -identification and- _zzz_ -purpose."

Peridot hesitated on her response. She was still a wanted criminal by her people, no doubt news of her ridiculous actions had spread.

"Jasper, Facet 9AK47-05." Jasper, under no such limitations, spoke. "We are returning from a mission on Earth and we require permission to land."

There was a moment of silence, no doubt the gems were looking into the information.

"Confirmed." The voice spoke. "Standby- _zzz_ -landing preparations- _zzz_ -made."

Peridot gave a sigh of relief as she began stirring the ship towards the planet. It would only take a few minutes to find a decent spot for a proper landing.

* * *

Steven and Connie had their faces pressed against the glass to see the gem creation. The first thing they noticed was what looked like a castle hovering in the air. It was similar to a medieval castle, but there was one key difference. In the center of the entire castle was a spire like tower. It was so tall that it seemed to disappear into the clouds. There was a large open flat for landing, at least it would used as such, in front of the palace.

Peridot had managed to land the ship, not too gracefully, onto a landing platform. The platform itself hovered several miles off of the ground and seemed to be the only thing for miles.

"This is so cool!" Steven stated while Connie nodded in agreement.

"I'm going to go talk with the gem in charge." Jasper answered as she began walking away. "Try and gain access to a Home-World Warp-Pad, or at least the tools to stabilize this ship for the rest of the trip."

"What do we do?" Steven asked.

"I don't care." Jasper stated. "Just don't get in to any trouble."

Jasper made her way to the entrance but stopped as a thought crossed her and made a turn to one of the hauls of the ship. She had turned to the opposite direction, where her _quarters_ were located. If she was going to go talk to an important gem, then she was going to let them know who she was. She had to be at her best.

Just as she entered her room, she stopped. A strange crawling sensation began appearing on her arm, a familiar one. Looking at her arm, Jasper saw a blue spot with a small horn like bump jutting out.

 _Corruption!_ She thought in shock. She grabbed her arm and began squeezing, trying to push back the mutation.

She beat this once and she'd do it again, because she was better than the other gems. She was Jasper, the gem from the desperately made Kindergarten that came out perfect! The perfect gem warrior! She refused to fall to this like the other...failures.

The sensation was gone. Looking down, she saw the stain on her form was gone. She was stable.

* * *

Lapis reached for Steven's hand and began walking towards the door. Connie followed behind silently.

"I've never been to this planet Steven." Lapis stated with a smile. "I bet there's a bunch of stuff for us to see, let's go."

Steven began nodding his head vigorously with excitement. He was always up for seeing more Gem-based things, or just new things in general. If the stuff from Earth are anything to base them off of then he was sure he wouldn't be disappointed. He'd yet to be so far.

"Come on Connie, Peridot!" Steven called excitedly. "Let's go exploring!"

Lapis frowned at the mention of the other two, but said nothing. Connie smiled at the offer while Peridot shook her head vigorously.

"Nope, not me." The green gem stated. "This Peridot is staying right in this seat." To emphasize her words, she sat into the control chair with a thud.

The ship's entrance began opening as a ramp extended for them to use. Following Lapis' lead, Steven and Connie took a step forward off of the ship in awe.

Before Steven could even take in the first sight Connie came to a sudden stop. The human began stumbling before she fell to the ground. Her hands went to her throat as she made gasping noises.

"Connie!" Steven cried in fear as he dropped to her side. "What's wrong!?" He couldn't get a response as she continued to gasp, he didn't know what to do and Lapis could only look on in confusion. "Peridot! Help!"

At the panic call of her friend, Peridot came running. She practically jumped from the ship and held her blaster out, a ball of energy already charged. Seeing that there was no danger, she turned her friends and looked at the downed human. Scanning her with her hands she was able to discern the problem and felt like an idiot for not considering it earlier.

"She can't breath!" Peridot exclaimed. "I'm such a clod! Get her back to the ship!"

Steven wasted no time, he grabbed his friend in both his arms and lifted her up. He ran back to the ship without sparing the others a second glance. Peridot was hot on his hills while Lapis walked at a slow, almost somberly, pace.

As soon as they re-entered the ship, the doors closed and the ship began activating. As soon as the ship was fully activated, Connie gasped for air. She could breath again and was taking each breath by the lung full. Once she was no longer straining, she turned her head to see Steven and Peridot above her, looking worried.

"W-What happened?" Connie asked, once she could breath.

"This planet doesn't have the necessary gases in the atmosphere to sustain you." Peridot explained. "You were suffocating. The life support on the ship is the only thing keeping you alive."

"Then...why didn't I suffocate?" Steven asked.

"...Why would you?" Peridot asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm half human." Steven answered. "I need to breath." He remembered the time he had almost suffocated/froze to death in the middle of a warp back on Earth. When he had searched for one of Peridot's Robo-noids.

"You're also half-gem." Peridot stated. "We require no such thing as air, remember the moon?"

Steven did remember the moon, it had been where he had learned about the Diamonds, and the plans for Earth.

"What about it?" Steven asked, not getting the picture.

"Why would we need air on a planet where there was none?" Peridot asked trying to get him to see logic.

It took Steven a moment to register what the gem was saying, but when it did, it _really_ did.

"You're saying..." Steven began with stars in his eyes.

"Yep, you can breath in space." Peridot stated.

"That's so cool!" Steven exclaimed. Part of him wondered why he couldn't breath when he was lost with Eyeball-Ruby, but that part was quickly over-shadowed by his excitement. "A new gem power! I can't wait to tell...!"

Steven excitement came to an end when he realized he wouldn't be able to tell any of the Crystal gems of his discovery, or even his dad. None of his friends in Beach City. He didn't even know if he'd ever be able to even _see_ them again, let alone talk to them. And Connie was in the same boat as him.

"Steven?" Connie spoke worried. "Are you okay, that's good news, isn't it?"

"Yeah, but what about you?" Steven asked concerned. "You're human."

Connie understood what he meant. This planet had not been able to sustain her, it was unlikely that the others would either. Even if it did have a sustaining atmosphere there were other things to consider, such as gravity.

"Hey wait, why do you have a life support system on the ship if you don't need air?"

It was meant as a way to change the depressing, albeit important, topic to something else, but Connie found herself generally curious. Steven leaned in to hear as well, eager for the answer.

"When Gems land on a new planet we often study the indigenous life." Peridot informed. "To do that we often need to transport them back to Home-World or a neighboring planet or moon. Just until the Warp-Pads are fully functional."

"You abduct people!?" Connie asked in horror.

"Yes." A familiar voice answered. "Know your enemies." The gems and Connie turned to see Jasper. The gem was wearing the cape she had when she had arrived on Earth, or one similar to it. "So you can't leave the ship? Guess that's a way to keep you all out of trouble."

"Cool cape." Steven stated.

"It's a sign of my rank as a Commander in the Gem army." Jasper stated as she puffed her chest out proudly. "Unlike you four, I have a status and I must uphold it."

"It's still pretty cool."

Jasper turned away from the group, though she couldn't help but smile. If one looked closely enough, it could almost be seen as...sincere.

"Jasper." A small voice spoke.

They turned to see Pearl, a Pearl. She had come up onto the ship since they had left the entrance open in their attempt to save Connie. It looked like Earth Pearl, but she was still different. She wore a long brown Victorian dress that reached the ground and 'poofed' out, like a noble. Her hair fell down to her ears, as if it had been combed straight. The gem had a white Pearl on her left shoulder.

"I'm here to escort you to our commander." She spoke.

"Stay here." Jasper ordered her companions before turning to the Pearl. "Lead the way."

* * *

Jasper passed a few Quartz gems as she entered the castle. A few saluted her, which she returned. It was nice to be among her own again.

Jasper made her way up the spiraling stair case towards the chambers.

As soon as she entered the room, she was greeted with a face full of steam. There was a pool, almost like a pit, in the middle of the room. The water was spiraling down some drain in the pit, while fresh water was constantly refilled it from large spouts jetting from the walls.

At the opposite end of the pool was the gem in charge, an Almandine. She was a large gem, almost as large as Jasper, and her bulging muscles seemed to make her look larger. But that wasn't important, Jasper new she could shift her muscles to triples the size and strength or more if she needed or wanted to. The red gem had on what looked like a red one-piece bikini and a White-Diamond insignia in the center. What caught her interest was Almandine's hair. It wasn't free or styled like most gems, but rather it was spread out wildly on one half and the other was in tight dreads.

"Join me." The gem offered.

This was both an act of kindness and a test. It was meant to see if Jasper was tough enough to endure the heat. If she did then she'd earn a bit of respect, if not then she'd wouldn't be taken seriously.

Jasper resisted snorting at the 'offer' to her. She may not have been a lava swimming Ruby, but she was tough enough to stand a little warm water. Removing her cape, which she folded and placed near the door, there was no need to change her clothes since it was grafted to her being, she took a calming step inside. The water was hotter than she had expected, unpleasant even, but not unbearable. It would take some concentration not to show her discomfort.

"How may I be of assistance Jasper?" Almandine asked politely.

"We are in need of the use of your Warp-Pad or at least the tools to repair our ship." Jasper answered, all business. "Our last one was destroyed and our current one isn't up to standard for our trip back to Home-World."

"I have a Warp-Pad you can use to take you straight to Home-World." Almandine stated. "For an exchange of course."

"Of course." Jasper stated, having expected this. "However I have nothing of value at the moment, but once I return to Home-World I-"

Almandine raised her hand to silence Jasper, she was giving the warrior gem a smile that she didn't like.

"My scanners picked up organic life on your ship." Almandine stated, showing there was no way to lie. "Well, one was organic and the other...we're having a hard time understanding. It's reading organic and gem at the same time, an anomaly."

"Yes, that's one of the...passengers." Jasper stated, knowing that it was the half-gem. "Part of the reason for the return trip."

"Are they sentient?"

"Yes." Jasper slowly answered.

Now she was becoming suspicious, wondering why the gem was focused on the anomaly. If it had been a researcher type or even an aristocrat, then she'd understand, they always wanted to know more. However, Almandine was a Commander gem like herself, such things were unimportant to them until it became important.

"I will give you the access to get to Home-World in exchange for the organic and anomaly." Almandine stated, confirming Jasper's suspicion. "My researchers would love for a chance to study the anomaly and the other will make good sport."

"I...must refuse." Jasper stated. "I have an agreement with the organics."

"An agreement with a walking meat sack doesn't have any validity here."

Any other time Jasper would have agreed with this gem, but not this time. She was obligated, not to Steven or the full human girl or even the other gems, but to herself. The half-gem had fulfilled his end of the bargain, it would be a stain her pride if she didn't fulfill her end.

"I must still decline." Jasper spoke calmly. "The anomaly may be of use to Yellow-Diamond."

Usually a statement like that would have brought the conversation, and probably the chance of a trade, to a close. Almandine had made a face that Jasper didn't like. It was somewhere between a look of disgust and a sneer. Must have been the steam.

"Ah, the Diamonds." Almandine spoke with a small growl. "It always comes down to them, doesn't it."

Jasper narrowed her eyes at the gem's choice of words and tone. It sounded almost...condescending. Jasper mentally calmed herself and tried to be rational. Maybe it was the steam making her see things on the gem's face and the rushing water making her hear something that wasn't there.

"Yes it does." Jasper answered.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"You seem like a loyal soldier." Almandine stated, gaining a nod. "I'm asking you, why?"

"You're asking me why I'm loyal to the ones who gave me life and a purpose?" Jasper asked suspiciously.

Almandine shook her head. "I'm asking you why you're loyal to someone who would destroy you over failure."

"Failure is weakness, weakness in battle is death."

"You _are_ loyal." Almandine stated unimpressed. "However there is such a thing as loyal to a fault. No different than a pet to a-"

Jasper stood up in anger and glared at the other gem. She couldn't make anymore excuses for Almandine, the gem was speaking borderline-no, it was treason! And the insults! She stood all she could.

"Enough." Jasper growled.

"She isn't our Diamond." The red gem stated.

" _My_ Diamond is gone, what's your excuse for such disloyalty!" Jasper demanded.

Almandine continued to look at the gem with a relaxed expression.

"So you won't give me the anomaly and organic?" Almandine asked again. "We don't have a trade?"

"No." Jasper growled.

"A pity." Almandine stated with a sigh. The gem snapped a finger.

Jasper caught a flash of red from below rush towards her, but it was too late to react. A red fist burst from the water and connected with her face, her gem. The force of the blow had actually knocked her from the water.

She quickly rolled to her feet and took in the situation, there before her was a Ruby. No different than the countless ones she had seen in the past. Now she felt like a fool! The Ruby had been keeping the water heated to hide in the steam until signaled. Jasper had been focused on Almandine expecting an attack, but not an ambush!

Anger filled Jasper at the treachery! She had been respectful, polite even, and this is what she got in return!?

Jasper stood and took a step forward, ready to end this betrayal and crush the gems. A step was as far as she got. Her body gave a shudder before she fell to the ground.

Fear overtook Jasper as she brought her hands to her gem and felt it. Her fear was realized as she felt the damage done, a large crack that had nearly split her gem in two.

Her body gave a painful spasm before she collapsed to the ground, unable to move a muscle. Half of her body began to sag, almost as if melting into a bag of slime.

A shadow crept over her and she new it was Almandine.

"You should have traded with me when you had the chance." Almandine taunted. "Now the organics and your gems are mine."

"Yoa...voon't git aray rif dis." Jasper drawled, unable to form proper words.

"I'm sure I will." Almandine taunted. "I'll just send that Peridot of yours to Yellow-Diamond as as 'sign of loyalty' to her 'Authority' and may even be rewarded. That's right, our scanners picked her up the minute you came in range. And we know all about you and your failed Earth mission."

"Yo twaiterrrr." Jasper drawled out.

"Hmph, can't be a traitor if you don't have my loyalty to begin with. My Diamond is gone." Almandine stated as she and the Ruby made their way out of the pool-like room the same way Jasper entered, making sure to step on the defenseless gem. "Goodbye."

They left Jasper on the ground to spend her last few moments alone.

* * *

Steven and Connie sat as patiently as possible as they waited for Jasper to return. Peridot was doing something on her screen, happy to have it back. Lapis, however, was growing restless.

"Come on Steven, let's go exploring." Lapis urged as she formed her water wings. "We should have awhile before Jasper returns."

Steven would have liked very much to go exploring on this magical planet, but he couldn't. He could leave Connie on the ship, trapped.

"That's okay." Steven stated with a smile. "I'll wait here with Connie, you can go exploring though."

Lapis frowned, though Steven didn't see it. She wanted to go exploring, yes, but not all that much. It was more that she wanted to spend time with Steven, but he wanted to stay with Connie. Though she couldn't fault Steven for it, his kindness to others is what keeps her by him.

"That's okay." Dispersing her wings, she sat down beside him.

Whatever she was going to say was cut off by the entrance to the ship opening. In walked the Pearl and two muscular gems that Steven didn't recognize. They were purple, but they weren't Amethysts.

"We request that you all come with us." The Pearl stated, drawing Steven's attention.

"Connie can't leave the ship." Steven protested.

"Jasper knows this." Lapis stated with narrowed eyes. "Where _is_ Jasper?"

"The Jasper is talking with Almandine." The Pearl stated. "If you would follow us we'll take you to join her."

Lapis narrowed her eyes. "We'll just wait here."

The two large gems beside the Pearl pulled out Private Gem-Destabilizers and activated them. The sight caused Peridot and Lapis to step back in fear, just a touch from those and they'd be forced into their gems.

"We must insist."

One of the large gems charged forward with her destabilizer raised to stab. Steven formed his Bubble, blocking the strike and destroying the weapon.

Connie jumped over the barrier and raised the Rose Sword high as she brought it down on the nearest gem, Pearl. Unlike the Earth bound Pearl, this one followed it's designated role. Weak and submissive, she raised her arms in an attempt to shield herself. They offered little resistance as Connie cut through them and the rest of the gem as well, effectively poofing her.

"I'll protect you Steven!" Connie stated as she raised her sword.

"You little!" The large gem raised her arm in an attempt to smash Connie, but Steven acted faster. He threw his Shield at the large gem, hitting her in the stomach and forcing her to double over in pain. This gave Connie the perfect chance to impale the gem and poof her as well.

"And I'll protect you!" Steven insisted as he raised his shield.

The two traded a glance and a smile. Even in such a dangerous situation, Connie and Steven couldn't help but share a moment of happiness. They were fighting side-by-side. Just like the jam buds that they were.

It was just the one gem now.

"What's going on!?" Peridot demanded.

Everyone turned to the remaining gem. Said gem looked around and saw that the odds were against her.

"I bail!" The gem shouted as she ran.

"What do we do now!?" Peridot asked as she tried not to panic.

"Now, we leave!" Lapis stated.

"We can't leave without Jasper!" Steven stated.

 _Of course we can!_ Lapis thought, and she really wanted to say it out loud. But the desperate look on Steven's face was too much. She new he would try to save everyone.

"Wait, Steven, I want to come!"

"You can't leave the ship." Peridot stated.

"I can't, but _we_ can." Connie hinted.

Steven smiled at the suggestion. which Connie returned. Steven held out his hand to Connie who took it with a smile. Steven's gem began to glow as their bodies shined so brightly that it filled the ship.

"Are they going to...?"

"Impossible." Peridot stated as she folded her arms.

To their disbelief, Steven and Connie melded into each other. Out stepped an attractive person who seemed to take on the physical characteristics of both Steven and Connie.

"Stev...en?" Lapis questioned.

"I'm Stevonnie!" She stated with a smile. (For necessity, going to call the fusion a 'Her' until further notice.)

"Wait, if your removable skin grafts grow with your fusion, why don't your feet supporters?" Peridot asked.

Stevonnie shrugged, it was the only answer she had.

With no more questions or hindrances, they made their way following the main path Jasper had.

They came upon a large door with a single Ruby at the guard. Her gem on her forehead.

"You can't enter here." Ruby stated.

"We don't want to fight." Stevonnie stated.

"We don't?" The Ruby questioned before shaking her head. "I do!"

Stevonnie made the first move and ran forward with the Rose sword held high. Once she was in range, Ruby struck out but at the last minute Stevonnie jumped. Using the Ruby's face a step, she kicked off and jumped over the gem. The fusion landed flat on her feet and spun around to meet the enemy gem, who was very angry.

Ruby began to smoke as she heated up. She lunged for the fusion, only to collide with the Bubble. Stevonnie watched as the gem slid down before dropping it.

Stevonnie charged again, this time blade pointed forward as a thrust. Raising her hands, the Ruby caught the sword between her hands, holding the blade in place. Stevonnie tried to pull the sword free.

Stevonnie lowered her stance and held the sword into a comfortable position. Ruby raised her arms in preparation.

Stevonnie threw her shield, which Ruby caught, but this left her open. Stevonnie impaled her with the sword, effectively dispelling her form. She caught the gem before it could hit the ground.

"I'm sorry." Stevonnie whispered. She bubbled the gem and sat it down. She'd let the other gems of this world handle her.

Turning to the door, Stevonnie opened it and gasped.

Stevonnie panicked when she saw the body of Jasper laying there. She ran towards the soldier and rolled her onto her back. Stevonnie gasped in fear when she saw the damage done to Jasper's gem. It was worse than what Steven had seen with Amethyst and Lapis.

"We have to help her!"

"Her gem is too damaged, I don't even know if it's possible to help her." Lapis stated calmly.

Lapis had seen many gems cracked and this was by far the most damaged one ever. It was practically in two, held together by the thinnest layer.

Stevonnie dropped to her knees and lifted Jasper's head. Without even thinking, she dragged her tongue across her hand, getting as much saliva on it as possible, before placing it on the fractured gem. Lapis new what Stevonnie was attempting, she was healing Jasper's gem just like with hers.

Stevonnie didn't know if it would work, she had just acted and hoped for the best. Steven hadn't been able to use his healing after his dad had tricked him, but it had returned not long ago. Like most of his powers, it had a mind of it's own. Now they would find out.

They all waited for the gem to heal.

"It...It didn't work." Stevonnie whimpered.

Lapis had't taken as much pleasure in hearing that as she had thought she would. Something in Stevonnie's eyes, in Steven's eyes, that look of hopelessness, it was too much for her. That 's what it was, she wouldn't have cared otherwise.

"Steven, I'm-"

Jasper's body gave a violent shudder before her hands flew to her gem. Her body continued to shudder before going completely still.

The quartz gem's eyes snapped open as reality came back to her. She was alive! The first thing she saw was the strange gem smiling at her through teary eyes. Jasper had shoved Stevonnie away as she struggled to stand, not that the fusion minded. She was too overcome with relief to be mad, though Lapis didn't share such feelings.

"A little gratitude would be nice." The blue gem growled.

Jasper ignored her as she tried to process what was happening.

 _My gem...it was cracked...destroyed._ Jasper thought as she put her memory together.

She brought her hands to her gem to find that it was healed! She couldn't find the slightest defect in it! It was as good as new! But was she stable? Jasper closed her eyes as she focused on every part of her being. As a gem, she was aware of her body seeing as how it was nothing more than a construct of her own creation.

"How?"

"Your gem, I healed you." Stevonnie stated happily.

Jasper turned to the fusion and looked at her, as if actually noticing her for the first time. She was instantly on guard, barely recognizing her.

"You...healed me?" She repeated. "Rose!?"

"I'm Stevonnie!"

"Stevonnie?" Jasper spoke, playing with the word, she had never heard of a gem with that name.

The orange gem began looking Stevonnie up and down, taking her in. Jasper's eyes stopped when she saw the gem on Stevonnie. It was easily recognizable from it's large size and unique cut. She _was_ a Rose Quartz gem, why would she make up such a ridiculous name?

Fusion again. Jasper thought. This was the fusion who defeated her during her assault, just before she shattered the defective Amethyst.

"Rose?" Jasper asked. "You fused with the human again."

"Stevonnie, a fusion of Steven and Connie." She stated.

Jasper snorted. "You can change your form and your name all you want, but you're still a Rose Quartz."

Before Stevonnie could reply, Jasper took off. She exited through the door at the opposite of the room, the one Almandine had left through. Stevonnie took off after her.

"Wait!" Peridot shouted.

"...We can take off, just saying." Lapis stated in the empty room before slowly trudging after them.

* * *

"Almandine!" Jasper bellowed to the gem.

The red gem turned and was shocked to see Jasper not only standing, but completely healed!

"Jasper?" She spoke with uncertainty. "Your gem it's...healed?"

"I'm going to pay you back for that you coward!" Jasper growled.

Jasper rushed the surprised gem and punched Almandine in the face, knocking the gem to the ground.

Almandine arose in a second and tackled Jasper, raising the larger gem up, she ran them into the wall. Jasper grunted as she took the blow of impact to her back. The red gem suddenly released the off balanced Jasper, causing her to fall to the floor. Almandine grabbed a handful of Jasper's hair and began slamming the back of her head into the wall.

Jasper kicked the red gem off and stood. Angrier than ever she summoned her Crash Helmet and head butted the gem in the face, knocking her back several feet.

"Not so tough without your Ruby here to sucker punch me, are you?"

"Don't need her!" Amandine shouted.

Almandine's body began to glow as she began increasing in size, until she was fifteen feet tall. She gave a roar before charging Jasper, who lunged to the side. The giant jumped into the air and tried to land Jasper, who continued to move out of reach.

Jasper began spinning on the spot before launching herself into the giant, helmet first. Almandine gasped as Jasper connected with the giants abdomen, knocking her through the wall. Unfortunately, there was only an open air in the room. The floor was sever stories down.

As they fell, Jasper continued to rain down blows onto the traitor to keep her disoriented. Before they crash landed, Jasper jumped from the gem to avoid collision. Almandine landed in a painful heap with the rubble falling onto her.

"Is that it?" Jasper asked, unimpressed.

The pile of rubble gave a small shift before the giant gem burst free with a roar. With debree in her hand, she began launching them at Jasper. Lowering her head and bracing her legs, Jasper took the blows of the attack but did not budge or feel an ounce of pain.

Almandine grabbed a metal pillar that had fallen with her. With one swing, she sent Jasper flying to the other end of the room. Before she could get her bearing, Almandine was on her, bending the metal around her like a bind.

Before she could fully imprison Jasper, a shield crashed into her head, knocking her off balance. Jasper took this moment to exert all of her might to free herself from the bindings. With a loud cry, she shattered the metal prison.

Once free, she grabbed the nearest thing she could. A large but broken piece of a pillar. With careful aim and great strength, she threw it at the dazed Almandine. It pierced the the giant with ease, effectively poofing her.

With a smirk, Jasper walked towards the defeated gem. Looking down in disgust, she raised her leg high-

"Wait!" Stevonnie cried. "You don't have to smash her!"

"She's a traitor and she tried to kill us!" Jasper shouted back. "This is how scum like her is dealt with!"

"It won't solve anything!" Stevonnie shouted.

"It'll get rid of a traitor and make me feel better." Jasper countered as she added a little more pressure. "That sounds like a solution to me."

Stevonnie struggled to come up with a reason for Jasper to spare the gem.

"Wait wait!" Stevonnie shouted. "Don't you have a justice system!?"

"Yes." Lapis answered. "The Diamonds handle the gem laws."

"Let's take her to the Diamonds!" Stevonnie urged. "Let them deal with her! We're going there, right!?"

Jasper knew that the fusion was speaking logic, but she was a gem of action. And she wanted to act! By crushing the gem!

"Unless you want to take the Diamond's laws into your own hands." Lapis stated.

Jasper looked at the water gem and sneered, which Lapis returned.

As they glared at each other, Stevonnie took the moment to act. Making her way to the helpless gem, she reached down and bubbled it. She had to resist her natural reaction to send it back to the Temple on Earth, she didn't want to give the Crystal Gems any more trouble.

"Look, Warp-Pads." Peridot stated. "We can get off of this floating castle." She began to examine them in a way that Stevonnie didn't understand, but the green gem smiled at her readings. "They go straight to Home-World!"

Stevonnie and the gems stepped onto the Home-World Warp-Pads. This was it, they were going to Home-World.

 **Review**

 **Posted a new Gravity Falls fic, please take a look**


	5. Chapter 5

I do not own 'Steven Universe'

 **Chapter 5**

Stevonnie began to open her eyes only to immediately close them. It was so bright that it caused her already throbbing head more pain.

 _Wait?_ Stevonnie though. _Why is my head throbbing in pain?_

She sat up as her memories began flooding back into her. This wasn't her bed, nor was she even on Earth. She was on the smooth ground of an alien world. It would be so cool if she wasn't so terrified at the moment.

They had left Earth and that stuff behind. They had been on their way to Home-world, when they had been ambushed by a bunch of gems. They didn't stand a chance at defeating the onslaught. So why were they still alive. Why hadn't they been-

"Hello Rose." A cold voice spoke.

Stevonnie looked towards the source of the voice and froze. Steven had heard it once before. It was Yellow-Diamond, one of the leaders of Home-World and all of the gems on it.

Stevonnie could only look at the gem in amazement and fear. Yellow-Diamond was tall, she had to be nearly twenty feet in height. She has a pointed, upturned nose, plump lips and an unusually long neck. Her hair is a short bob with two spiked tips. She has black eyebrows, and black markings around both her eyes, which are bright yellow with diamond shaped pupils. She wears a black and olive bodysuit similar to the ones worn by Jasper, Peridot, and Garnet, as well as a yellow coat with very large shoulder pads and a cutout for her gemstone. She also wears gloves of a slightly darker yellow and very dark olive yellow boots.

The half gem turned to see what she could only assume was Blue-Diamond. The large gem was just as tall as Yellow-Diamond, though she was in a sitting position with her looks obscured by a veil. He could still make out her plump lips and dark-blue skin, as well as the gem shining on her chest.

Stevonnie turned to the gems she had arrived with. Peridot was shaking and sweating profusely, unable to hide her fear. Lapis was standing straight and doing a better job at maintaining her composure, but she did seem a little concerned. Only Jasper was able to stand her ground with no visible sign of concern.

Stevonnie was vaguely aware of several gems that she had never seen before sitting next to the Diamond. They looked fancy and colorful, though they had a look about them, as if they were appalled.

"How long has it been Rose?" Yellow-Diamond asked. "Over five thousand years if I recall."

Stevonnie swallowed the lump in her throat as she tried to gain enough courage to talk.

"Um, Ms. Yellow-Diamond." Stevonnie began as politely as possible. "I'm not my mom. I'm Stevonnie Quartz...Maheswaran...Universe." She was actually a little confused on her whole name at the moment.

The Diamond's yellow eyes narrowed at Stevonnie, making her want to hide. "Do you take me for a fool?"

"N-No, I-"

"You must if you think your little charade would fool me!" She hissed. "Even with your strange readings we were able to determine that it was you."

Peridot decided to be brave an take a step forward. "M-My Diamond-"

"Silence!" Yellow-Diamond hissed, making Peridot shut her lips. "We'll get to you momentarily."

"Why did you come here?" Blue-Diamond asked. "Surely you knew it would be certain death."

This was it, she had to tell them why they were here and hope they didn't get killed.

"I-I came to understand." Stevonnie stated.

The answered raised a few eye-brows from the Diamonds and the collective gems.

"Understand what exactly?"

"I came to understand Home-World and the gems." Stevonnie answered honestly. "I wanted to see what caused my mother, Rose Quartz to rebel and why others didn't."

"Your mother?" A gem asked, unfamiliar with the term.

"Rose-Quartz." Stevonnie answered. "She created me w-"

"Created?" Blue-Diamond asked. "Were you formed in the Kindergarten from that planet?"

"No, I'm half human and half gem!" Stevonnie answered proudly. _Or is my ratio off? I was already half gem, now I have another, pure-bred human fused with me._

"Impossible." Blue-Diamond stated.

"He speaks the truth, my Diamond." Lapis spoke as she stepped forward, making the Diamond salute. "H-She's a...hybrid offspring of a human and...of Rose Quartz."

This brought a short murmur from the group of gems in the balcony.

"And where is Rose Quartz at this moment?" Yellow-Diamond asked, still not buying the story. "Fused with you?"

"We couldn't both exist, so she...had to give up her physical form so that I could live." Stevonnie answered.

"So...she's dead?" Yellow-Diamond surmised with a faint smile.

Stevonnie looked away in discomfort. Steven had never liked being reminded of his mother's sacrifice for him, and Connie didn't like making him upset, she was polite enough to leave it.

"Part of her _is_ me, but-"

"I've heard enough." Yellow-Diamond stated before turning to address all of them."Gems, you each stand accused of treachery, how do you plead?"

"Not guilty." All of the gems answered.

One of the gems in the gallery scoffed. "Hmm, planning to drag this out I see."

"Every gem has the right to prove their loyalty." Another gem beside her chided.

"Peridot, Facet-2f5l cut-5xg." Yellow-Pearl spoke. "You stand accused of disobeying a direct order from a Diamond, is that true?"

"Y-Yes." Peridot answered uneasily. "But it was for the best interest of Home-World! And-and-and for _you_ Yellow-Diamond!"

"How?"

"O-On Earth, nearly all gems formed have been...defective, save two! These gems have been nothing more than defects!" She answered hastily. "It can only mean that Earth is unsustainable for gem incubation! The Cluster, already an amalgamation of shattered gems, would have likely grown to be a unstable gem itself!"

"Who are these two gems?" Blue-Diamond asked. Too her knowledge, most of the Earth gems had been placed in Pink's Zoo "The non defectives."

"Jasper here." Peridot answered. The Gem warrior stood a little straighter at being reminded of her greatness "And the other was the Stev-vonnie here."

"And do you have anything to confirm your...accusations?"

"Y-Yes!" Peridot exclaimed excitedly. "My log dates!"

Peridot began to fumble with the screen on her arm-enhancer. Eventually the screen began to expand until it was the size of a movie theater screen.

Peridot-Log Date 6-5-2

 _"I have finally arrived to the Kindergarten on this miserable rock to check the progress of the Cluster experiment." She spoke before grumbling. "Unfortunately, I have to do this manually since the Crystal Clods decided to wreck this archaic place."_

They watched as she began removing the pillars from their hidden compartments. She turned to the computer like machine and began checking the information it held.

 _"The Cluster is progressing." Peridot's voice stated. "But there seems to be-"_

 _Suddenly there was a noise from behind her. The green gem spun around in fear to meet whatever the cause was, her hand in the form of a laser-canon._ _She had been so into her work that she didn't notice anything until she heard a rumbling noise._

 _"Not those Crystal Clods again!" She groaned._

 _Fortunately or unfortunately, it wasn't the Crystal gems. The noise had come from the pillars she had just removed from the ground. They were shaking and even...groaning?_ _From the pillars burst several of the Cluster-lings. Peridot gasped at the sight of them._

 _They were nothing more than horrible amalgamations of limbs! Some of the gems seemed to be two arms attached to a leg and other where large torsos with fingers on the sides, giving it the appearance of a mutant spider._

 _They advanced on Peridot, who backed away from the monsters._

 _"Back away you-you Cluster Clods!" She shouted as she fired sporadically!_

 _She hit very few of the Cluster's, though she did manage to destroy the ones she did. The ones that she didn't scattered away in fear of the Peridot, or at least her weapon._

 _"That's right! Run!" Peridot shouted. "Run away from the mighty Peridot!"_

The video log ended there and all turned to see Peridot, obviously embarrassed by her outburst.

"As you can see such a gem would be nothing more than a wild animal A broken remnant of what it once was!" Peridot stated. "It would likely destroy many planets, but also put countless gems at risk!"

Yellow-Diamond gave the smaller, and terrified gem a long look, much to said gems fearful displeasure, before sighing. She moved her hand to a screen and began dancing her fingers across it. It gave a flash of approval before disappearing.

"Your words are...reasonable." Yellow-Diamond stated, obviously displeased. "Project Cluster: 2323 has been terminated."

"What, just like that?" Stevonnie asked in disbelief. "You killed them?"

Yellow-Diamond turned a cold eye to Stevonnie, making the fusion flinch.

"A weapon like that can't be allowed to form without precautionary measures." Yellow-Diamond spoke as if it were coldness horrified the fusion. "Now to the next issue." Yellow-Diamond leaned in with narrowed eyes at Peridot as she spoke. "You insulted me."

"I-I-I waaasss-playing the part!" Peridot stated. "I was being held by the Crystal gems!"

Yellow-Diamond's eyes burned as she heard those words. They were the bane of all of Home-World and a major thorn in her side!

"So they live."

Stevonnie began panicking, if they sent another invasion to Earth then it was doomed!

"They did." Jasper stated.

The gem warrior wasn't lying. What was left of the Crystal gems were nothing but a disgrace. The shattered remnants of a once proud army. Nothing worth a Diamond's attention.

"Jasper," Yellow-Pearl spoke as she looked at the logs. "You stand accused of destroying a high standing gem, after failing a mission to Earth, how do you plead?"

"Not guilty. I didn't destroy her, though she would have deserved it seeing as she was a traitor." Jasper spoke confidently. Though deep down, she knew her bravado was just for show. "She attempted to destroy me when I wouldn't give in to her demands and even hinted at betraying the Diamonds." Jasper stated while trying to restrain her anger. "I felt it best to...neutralize the chance of an actual threat."

"And where is she now?"

Jasper turned to Stevonnie, who nodded. She undid the cheeseburger-backpack and revealed the bubbled gem. Many of the gems in the balcony gave a gasp of shock once they saw it.

"Release her." Yellow-Diamond ordered.

Stevonnie popped the bubble and stood back. The large gem reformed and took a wobbly step.

"Where am-" Almandine didn't finish her question as she scanned the area. Her eyes landed on the Diamond's before they rested on Jasper. "So you ran home to the big bad Diamonds, huh?"

Jasper made to lung at the traitor, only to be restrained by the guards.

"It seems that you've elevated yourself above your station." Blue-Diamond spoke. "How do you plead?"

The Almandine crossed her arms and looked the blue gem in the eyes. "I believe that I stand where I belong."

"Oh?" Yellow-Diamond questioned with a raised eye brow.

"There's been rumors that you Diamonds won't even get your hands dirty anymore. If you ever did." The gem spoke confidently. "After all, Blue-Diamond never got from her seat when Rose-Quartz arrived before her and you, Yellow, never even entered the battle. Many of us gems are wondering why we even need you. We do the work, and for what?" She questioned, directed to all of the gems. "After all, if Rose Quartz could defeat a Diamond, why not another gem, like an Almandine."

Yellow-Diamond looked at the smaller gem with obvious disdain before doing the last expected thing. She laughed. It wasn't humorous in the slightest, it was cold and mocking. It caused Almandine to flinch as she lost a bit of her confidence.

"Finally!" The diamond declared. "She takes a stand!"

The smaller gem began to look uneasy, her eyes shifting around for...something. This was obviously not going as she had envisioned it.

"You're right." Yellow-Diamond admitted. "I do have a policy of not getting my hands dirty with this sordid nastiness. Unless..."

Yellow-Diamond words were stopped by her laughter. This made the Almandine gem red with anger and nervousness.

"Unless what!?" She demanded.

Yellow-Diamond stood from her spot and with one large step dropped from her position in the stand. She landed with a large thud, though her legs didn't so much as buckle under the landing.

"Unless I really _really_ want to." She hissed before looking to the guards. "Hold her."

The gems grabbed onto Almandine and held her arms behind her back. They then forced the gem to her knees before the Diamond.

"No, no!" Almandine screamed as she struggled against the guards.

Almandine rocked to the side as she struggled against her captures, managing to free one arm. With all her strength, she knocked the gem to the side before backhanding the other.

Standing up, she let loose a battle cry as she charged the Diamond. Not bothering to summon her weapon, she took a massive leap into the air an reared her large fist back.

Yellow-Diamond simply raised an arm and caught the large gem by her throat. Almandine, had she not been flailing for her life, would almost look like a doll in the Diamond's grip. Yellow-Diamond wrapped two fingers around the Quartz's gem. She then began adding pressure, forcing the smaller gem to scream out in both pain and fear.

"Turn away Steven!" Lapis urged, with her own eyes closed.

"No." Jasper ordered with a smirk, her eyes cold. "Look. You need to see what happens when one challenges a Diamond."

Stevonnie wanted to look away, but she just couldn't. It was like trying to tear your eyes away from a train wreck, it was near impossible. Whether out of shock, horror or even mild interest, you just couldn't look away. Though she would wish she had in a moment.

"Wait, I-I'm sorry!" Almandine shouted in terror. "Have mercy!"

Yellow-Diamond gave Almandine a cruel smile before she clenched her fingers, shattering the gem.

Almandine's body didn't disappear in smoke like Pearl or Amethyst had. No, her body just faded from sight in Yellow-Diamond's hand. She was shattered, dead, and not coming back.

Stevonnie felt bile rising up in her stomach as it finally hit her on what just occurred. She had just watched an execution. There was no blood, but it was no less brutal.

"Dispose of this." Yellow-Diamond ordered as she dropped the remains into the uncomfortable hands of her Pearl. "I don't want her Harvested, she is to be discarded."

"Y-Yes, of course my Diamond!" Yellow-Pearl answered with a bow.

"You four will be held until we have decided what is to be done with you." Blue-Diamond spoke.

The floor beneath the 'captives' began to glow in a cube shape around each of them before a barrier began to form around them. It was the same type of force-field that they had used on their visit to Earth when they had almost kidnapped the Crystal gems. Dangerous to full gems, but not to Steven, and in retrospect, Stevonnie.

* * *

Stevonnie sat on the floor in the cell holding her, there was no chairs or anything for her to use. It was just like the one that had been used to hold the Crystal gems when they came to Earth, large and empty. The only thing interesting was the shield that was supposed to keep them in but she could pass it easily.

She looked to the other gems, who were across from her in their own cell and thankfully in eye-sight. Jasper was patiently leaning against the wall, Lapis was sitting with her arms around her legs and her face burred in them, Peridot was pacing back and forth mumbling nervously to herself.

"So, what'll happen to us now?" Stevonnie asked aloud.

"They're going to discuss whether we get s-shattered or not." Peridot answered nervously.

The gems felt a cold shutter pass through them at the prospect of their deaths.

"Who were those other gems?" Lapis asked, hoping to get a distraction.

"Those were the Court of the Diamonds." Peridot answered.

"I've never heard of them." Lapis stated.

"Not surprising." Peridot answered. "They were formed around five thousand years ago, after the rebellion had come to a close. Some of the gem had thoughts similar to Almandine, but were less...expendable. Unique gems through either their rarity or ability that they alone poses."

"So the Diamonds gave them something to keep them in line, a status." Lapis realized.

Jasper just grunted at the constant mentioning of the gems. "They're just gems who get a little more attention and think they're special for it."

Jasper was a soldier and respected strength. Not a bunch of gems who got lucky with a 'trick' that the diamonds found useful. It wasn't like they worked to earn it, they were made with it, through some random occurrence in their creation. Would have been a defect if they hadn't lucked out.

"Like Sapphire?" Stevonnie asked. "She could see the future."

"All Sapphires can see the future." Peridot stated.

"I've heard of them but I was never formally introduced. So few of them." Lapis stated. "They're usually gems in Blue Diamond's personal court and her closest advisers."

The ground began to glow again, this time just under Jasper. It began to raise the gem into the air back the way she had come.

"It seems they've reached a decision on Jasper first." Peridot stated. Highly relieved it wasn't her.

"Jasper!" Lapis called out before the gem was gone. "You owe him! Don't forget that!"

* * *

"Jasper, step forward." Yellow-Diamond ordered.

"Yes Yellow-Diamond." Jasper did so and knelt before her leader.

The gem was doing a good job at keeping a straight face and calm demeanor, but deep down she was nervous as well. Anyone would be in the face of possible death. But she refused for her last moments to be spent like a coward. Begging like Almandine.

"You have shown loyalty to your Diamond and Home-World, your actions have proved you innocent." Yellow-Diamond spoke. "You are dismissed."

That was it, she was free.

Jasper had to resist letting out a breath of release. There had been no doubt that she was innocent and her Diamond had stood behind her, she was now free. Standing up, Jasper made her way out of the trial room.

 _'You owe him!'_

The words were loud in Jasper's head and grew louder with each step she took. Unfortunately, she had only made it six or seven feet and the noise was too much for her to stand and there was another dozen feet to freedom.

Jasper trailed her fingers across her gem. Still in stable condition and keeping her alive...thanks to the hybrid. She clenched her shaking fist before she released a frustrated sigh and turned back to her leader. An action that raised a eye-brow.

"Yellow-Diamond." Jasper called as she knelt before her leader. "What will happen to the Rose Quartz hybrid?"

"She will be shattered." Yellow-Diamond stated simply.

That didn't sit well with Jasper. Steven-Stevonnie had saved her life, thrice over, and even managed to help her secure her innocence for the trial. She had to pay the hybrid back, she refused to be in it's debt, even if she was on death row.

"Yellow-Diamond." Jasper spoke evenly. "I believe that the hybrid will be to use to you."

Yellow-Diamond turned her attention to Jasper, her eyes cold and calculating. While Blue-Diamond's eyes where covered, the soldier assumed they were the same.

"How?"

"She's a Quartz, she'd be a fine soldier." Jasper stated matter of factually as she remembered the fight. "She has decent skill and can form Rose's shield and it may be just as strong." She admitted, albeit grudgingly. "It took a direct hit from our ship's blaster and didn't waver, something like that will definitely be useful."

"We have countless gems with plenty of shields, and we'll grow countless more." Yellow-Diamond spoke uninterested.

That was true, there was only so many types of weapons in the world. It was bound that there'd be similar ones. Similar, but never the same. Though there has yet to be a shield on Rose's level.

Jasper began to think of another useful trait the hybrid had.

"She can heal gems." Jasper stated as she rubbed her own. "She was the one to heal the Lazuli and even healed mine."

That _was_ a unique ability. In all of the Gem-Empire none but Rose-Quartz had ever been able to heal a gem.

"She would make a prime candidate for your Authority." Jasper through in.

Now she had Yellow-Diamond's interest.

"Explain."

"The Rose Quartz was a gem of different beliefs and that caused the rebellion that was lost." Jasper spoke. "Now she created this...hybrid and had it raised under her beliefs, and is now questioning those beliefs."

"All I hear is history repeating itself."

"Possibly." Jasper admitted. "But if she has doubts on Rose's beliefs, then that will prove that Rose herself was...flawed, and this hybrid can be...cut into a fine follower. If she is even half the gem that Rose was, then she will be a great soldier." Jasper stated.

Yellow-Diamond considered this deeply. She wanted very badly to shatter the remnants of Rose Quartz, but this seemed far more...sweeter. It was easy to break something as physical as a gem, as she had done just moments before, but to shatter the very thing she stood for. That would be sweeter on many more levels.

The Diamond looked down at the soldier before her with narrowed eyes. "You speak sweet words, but why should we risk it?"

Jasper was at a loss for words, she had used everything she had to convince her leader.

"I say we do it." Blue-Diamond spoke, gaining everyone's attention.

Everyone turned to Blue-Diamond, the gems had been silent for most of the trial, save a few words of interest.

"You would condone such a risk?" Yellow asked with widened eyes.

"A risk that could be beneficial." Blue answered. "This is a being never seen before, maybe it will have something of use to us, there must be a reason Rose Quartz gave up her life for it. Destroying her will likely destroy whatever Rose had been working on."

"Good!" Yellow stated. "The sooner we end the last of that traitor, the sooner we can wipe her from history!"

"Rose was no fool." Blue Diamond spoke.

"I beg to differ!"

"So we are at a standstill." Blue spoke.

A standstill. Disagreement. Disorder. A crack in the once unbreakable Diamond Authority. These were things that Yellow-Diamond hated. She missed the old days, back when the Authority was whole, and absolute. Back when Pink was with them.

"A test!"

All eyes turned to the gem who had spoke, Jasper.

"Excuse me?"

"On the next gem harvest, the hybrid can be placed in the same care as the other soldiers for training." Yellow-Diamond spoke. "Gems that don't make it are failures and shattered, but the strong and skilled progress."

"It would show that the Diamonds are fair." Blue Diamond stated.

Yellow Diamond nodded in agreement. Ever since Rose led the rebellion from Earth, the Diamond Authority had been...cracked. They still held the authority and power of the Empire, but it was no longer absolute. Gems now questioned and even challenged them. Such as the Peridot from the failed Cluster assignment. Just the thought of it aggravated her. They could no longer _openly_ shatter such gems without making them into martyrs, which would only spread and create more to challenge and potentially destroy them.

 _Like a disease._ Yellow-Diamond thought in disgust. _Growing and festering._ The very thought of it was so...organic. So weak. So corrupted.

This would be a good opportunity. It would show they were Just leaders and quell the chance of an uprising, if only a little, until they could remove those that would challenge them.

Should the Rose hybrid fail and be shattered, it was no real loss for them. They would _have_ to shatter her, as not to show favoritism.

"Fine, the hybrid can have a chance." Yellow Diamond spoke. "But should she fail, she will be shattered. And Jasper, you shall be entirely responsible for this...gem."

Jasper froze at the declaration. She felt an overwhelming sense of fear and outrage. Responsibility for the hybrid!? All of her failures would reflect on Jasper! It was infuriating, but she couldn't dare state that to the Diamonds. She could only grit her teeth as she lowered her head in acceptance.

"Yes, Yellow-Diamond."

"Summon the gems." Yellow-Diamond ordered.

Just like Jasper, the accused rose through a transport installed in the ground. Each of them in their own prison. They looked at the gems in charge expectantly, a mix of fear and-well, just fear. While the Diamonds looked back with disinterest at best.

"We have come to a decision." Yellow-Diamond spoke.

"Lapis Lazuli." Blue-Diamond spoke. "Seeing as you have not actually committed a crime, you will not be punished. However, you were captured by the enemy, twice. You shall be watched to ensure no suspicious activity."

Lapis nodded in acceptance, this was actually going well for her.

"Peridot, in light of your...less than acceptable actions, it seems you have saved us a great deal of trouble with the Cluster. For this, you are dismissed." Yellow-Diamond spoke. "You will return to your duty with a careful eye kept on you."

Peridot let out a sigh of relief, she had never been so terrified in her life. The only thing that came close was when she was near destruction.

"Stevonnie was it?" Blue-Diamond asked, gaining a nod. "We have decided to give you a chance to prove yourself. We will be receiving newly harvested gems for their selection and you will be placed among them as any new gem would. Should you succeed, you may find yourself a nice, even prosperous life in the Gem Empire."

Stevonnie liked the sound of that. A fresh start. It was just what she had been looking for, to really understand the gem world without misleading information.

"But should you fail, you will be shattered." Yellow-Diamond stated coldly. "Your shards scattered and your consciousness forever destroyed."

 **Review**

 **Sorry for the wait, EMT school has been a pain.**

 **Who wants a Rick and Morty story? Not a Rick/Morty. I mean a Morty/Jessica story. Because we need that. Possibly with that Evil Morty.**

 **Who wants an Over the Garden Wall Beast Wirt au? Wirt/Beatrice. I know it's a bit late, but I feel that it hasn't gotten the attention it deserved. And what's left, I feel people try to make too full of poetic-angst.**


	6. Chapter 6

I do not own 'Steven Universe'

 **Chapter 6**

"Whoa!" Stevonnie exclaimed. "This place is so cool!"

Stevonnie and Jasper were on what would be described as a hover cart. It was like a mix between a golf cart and a light rail, but hovering.

They could see dozens of towers that reached the sky, each of them incredibly similar and yet vastly different. Each made of substances that the fusion couldn't quite make out. Thought she had seen them through Steven's memories, from his encounters with the gem ruins. Then there were warp pads everywhere. The hybrid wondered where they could possibly lead, what amazing worlds were out there.

"Many Bismuths have worked tirelessly, and still do, to perfect this planet." Peridot stated. "This is Home-World, it must be the best."

Stevonnie continued to look around until she noticed that Lapis was looking directly at her. It seemed that the blue gem had never staring at her since they had fused. All the while, looking to be deep in thought. The fusion was curious as to what was going on through Lapis' head.

"Are you okay?" Stevonnie asked.

"W-What?" Lapis asked as she was brought back to reality.

"You seemed deep in thought." The fusion spoke. "And you keep...staring at me."

Lapis began to feel uncomfortable at being caught. "No it's just...you're fused. And with a human."

"Yep, I'm Stevonnie." The fusion spoke happily as she held her hand out for Lapis to shake. "Nice to re-meet you."

Lapis looked out at the appendage before hesitantly taking it. She had remembered Steven showing her this gesture, a greeting.

"H-Hello." Lapis spoke.

"Is your reason for being one the same as the Garnets?" Peridot asked, before getting slightly giddy. "Are you Percy and Pierre!?"

Stevonnie blushed very heavily at the implication. Garnet was a fusion of pure love. Stevonnie...had never thought about it. It was, and still is, a special act between Connie and Steven.

"Uhhh...whoa!"

Thankfully the fusion was easily distracted by all of the marvels on the planet. And what she saw was truly impressive. The vehicle had pulled up to a large building, the vastness was enough to pull the fusion from her train of thought.

"Welcome to the Dictation facility." Peridot stated. "It's from here we get our assignments that we must accomplish. Gems are brought here where they are divided into one of three different placements." She explained. "Soldier, aristocrat and menials. One of the primary three."

"Menial?" Stevonnie asked.

"Like us Peridots, who build machines." Peridot explained. "Or Bismuths, who build buildings and spires."

Now Stevonnie began to understand, they did the hands on things. No fighting required, but not dictating what others should do.

"What do aristocrats do?"

"Aristocratic gems, such as Lazuli here," Peridot motioned to the blue gem, who smiled. "Are given more unique rolls, they can record information like a machine, but their primary functions are terra-forming planets. Or Agates, who are usually directors."

 _Makes sense._ Stevonnie thought. _It does?_

"Gems generally work for half of a rotation, depending on what planet they're on. Other's, like us Peridots, will work until the task is completed." She stated, proud. "Soldiers are different, never know when one is being deployed, or if they're coming back."

Only the weak don't come back." Jasper stated.

"Then what do you count as?" Lapis asked. "Seeing as you were brought back."

Jasper spun around and glared at the water gem, tempted to strike her. Lapis flared her wings, prepared for the soldier to act. Stevonnie and Peridot froze between the two, not knowing what to do.

"This is our stop!" Peridot shouted as she hoped off of the vehicle. She had no desire to get in the middle of a fight with these gems. "I can't wait to show the other Peridots how I'm so much better than them with my metal controlling powers!"

The green gem laughed to herself in triumph. Jasper rolled her eyes while Lapis smiled at her little friend's jubilation. Stevonnie was used to her little friend's personality and found it cute.

"What's going to happen to you Lapis?" Stevonnie asked in concern.

Touched by the familiar care, Lapis smiled. Fusion or not, her friend Steven was in there somewhere.

"I'll be given a job moving the water on some planet, or recording the events." Lapis answered with a shrug. "Maybe both."

"Can we go already!?" Jasper demanded. "We have a schedule to keep!"

Stevonnie flinched, almost forgetting about the soldier who had been silent. Lapis began to glare at the soldier, her anger for her resurfacing.

"Goodbye Steven." Lapis spoke kindly. "Once you're done, come find me."

"Or me." Peridot chimed in.

Stevonnie waved to the two gems as she saw them get smaller in the distance as the vehicle drove off.

Now it was just the two of them, Stevonnie and Jasper. The Quartz said nothing as she began steering the vehicle towards another direction.

"Where are we going?" Stevonnie asked.

"We're going to the research hub so that they can study you before your placement." Jasper stated.

"But I thought being a Quartz made me-"

"That was a possibility before it was revealed that you were part organic, half of what they thought you were." Jasper stated with a frown before grumbling. "And you were already a shadow of that."

That hurt, Steven was not Rose, no one seemed to get that. Even his friends seemed to forget it, especially Pearl. Unknowingly, Stevonnie's left hand began rubbing her right arm comfortingly. Not everyone thought that, Connie didn't think that.

 _Neither does Peridot or Lapis._ Part of herself assured. Which part it was didn't matter.

Now the fusion's nervousness was growing, she had no idea what would happen to her. It was unlikely that Connie's memories of her own trips to the hospital would be of any significance her. Well, maybe the one with the Gem mutant.

"So what'll happen to me?" Stevonnie asked, a bit of nervousness building.

"...If everything goes correctly, you'll get your proper placement." Jasper answered.

* * *

The ride had been uncomfortable silent for the two, well for Stevonnie at least. It seemed that Jasper hadn't cared for her presence at all.

They pulled to another building, similar to the first minus a different color scheme. But, where as that one had been wide, this one was tall. It was so tall in fact, that it went into the clouds and Stevonnie wasn't sure where it stopped.

"Go inside, do as they say, don't cause any trouble." Jasper ordered.

Though she gave the order, the soldier led Stevonnie inside. The fusion had no idea where to go so she just followed Jasper while looking at all the halls that had strange doors to them, each sealed minus random gems walking in and out.

Eventually she was led to a room that strangely resembled a hospital. There was one counter/bed for the Stevonnie to sit on while Jasper stood in the corner. Now they were back to their awkward silence as they waited.

Stevonnie sat patiently, looking at all of the interesting items. Or she tried, half of her did anyway. Everything looked so futuristic that it took everything the fusion had not to touch a few things. The disagreement almost caused her to come undone.

"Must...not...touch!" Stevonnie whispered as she held her sides, trying not to separate.

 _Just one time!_ Steven urged.

 _Jasper said not to mess with anything!_ Connie resisted, playing safe.

Thankfully, her inner turmoil was brought to a stop at the doors opening.

In walked a thin, but tall gem. She was green with a circular gem covering her left eye.

"So, you're the famous Rose Quartz." The gem asked without looking at the fusion.

"Hello." Stevonnie greeted.

The gem nodded to the fusion before looking at a few floating screens, then back. It wasn't the large and pink gem that was associated with the Rose-Quartz, this was something else entirely, and it confused the green gem.

"You are the...Rose Quartz?"

"I'm kinda my mom." She answered as she showed her gem. "But I prefer Stevonnie."

The green gem looked to the corner were Jasper was standing with her arms crossed. The soldier gem nodded in conformation, this was Rose-Quartz.

"Is that a new variation of a Rose Quartz?" The gem asked, taking down some notes.

"I...it's a long story." Stevonnie stated.

"Research is about information." The stated as she continued tapping her screen. "I have a lot of Intel from the Peridot assigned to the Earth mission, but more would be helpful."

Stevonnie began telling the gem what she new about herself, her origin story. Her mom meeting a human and giving up her physical form to conceive Steven, creating a hybrid. However, she told the gem nothing of anything else. Not her time on Earth, nothing on her families, nothing about her adventures.

"Interesting." The gem stated as she reviewed the notes. "Very interesting."

"Thanks." Stevonnie stated, feeling she had been complimented.

"Let's see how strong you are." The gem stated.

At her command, the doors had slid opened and in walked three different gems. Two purple gems, larger versions of her own friend back home, and an unfamiliar one. This one was yellow and was dressed in a business like attire.

"Agate." The green gem greeted.

"So you're the Rose Quartz that the Diamonds informed me of." The gem stated as she eyes Stevonnie. "I am not impressed, but even an unorthodox gem such as yourself will be expected to work tirelessly for the order of Home-world and the Diamond Authority."

"What about weekends?" Stevonnie asked.

"Week...ends?" Jasper questioned.

The Quartz looked to the other gems for clarification, but they could only shrug in confusion as well. They had never heard of the term from Earth, a day was just a day to them.

"You know...time off." Stevonnie tried. "You can't honestly work endlessly, can you?"

The Agate grabbed the fusion by the arm in a strong grip, though not as strong as some she felt. However the act and intention behind it was enough to silence Stevonnie and freeze her in place.

"Do you understand what we're doing, what we're building here!?" The gem demanded as she added more pressure. "We are building a world!" The gem stated intently. "You can not control a world, let alone all of them under one grand gesture or ingenious plan. It takes work and dedication."

"It takes discipline." Jasper stated.

The trainer gem looked at the soldier before giving a nod of approval. If there was one thing two different soldiers could understand, it's _being_ a soldier. There was order. Stability. Security. And above all, strength.

"The Gem army is only as strong as it's weakest link, and I will tolerate no weaklings." Yellow Agate stated as she snapped her fingers. "Amethyst and Carnelian, show her what happens to weaklings."

The two large gems made their way towards Stevonnie, who stepped back in fear. Her hesitation quickly vanished as she replaced it with focus and formed her shield. The fusion hadn't come to Homeworld to fight, but it didn't mean she wouldn't.

Jasper looked at the two that were advancing on the fusion before scoffing. She may not like the fusion, but she didn't respect an unfair fight either. And if the fusion lost because of that, it was Jasper's reputation on the line.

"Back off." Jasper ordered.

The two backed away from the much tougher gem.

"Stand down." Agate ordered. "Even with the two of you, Jasper is too much to handle."

"But..." The Amethyst began.

"Jasper here was one of the best gems that I trained." The Agate began as she began circling the warrior gem. "Strong and proud, loves a head on battle. Simple and even honorable, fighting with her strength alone was enough for her."

Before any of the gems could react, Agate pulled out a Gem-destabilizer and struck Jasper with it. The warrior didn't have a chance to react before she was forced back into her gem.

"Jasper!" Stevonnie shouted.

"Unfortunately, honor has little meaning here." Agate sneered.

Stevonnie raised her Shield, just in time to block an ax that had been aimed for her head. Forming her bubble around her and Jasper's gem, she managed to pushed the attackers back.

"I don't want to fight!" Stevonnie shouted.

They ignored her as they began striking the bubble. Cracks began forming along the surface of her defense, it was only a matter of time before it gave away. And not a lot of that.

 _Now's our chance!_ Connie urged. _We can form spikes and poof them!_

Stevonnie made to do so, but was restrained by Steven. He wanted to resolve this with words, but Connie was letting the lessons taught by Pearl take over: Protect Steven.

The struggle between the two was so great that it affected Stevonnie. The gem began muttering aloud as she grasped her sides, as if trying to hold herself together. Even the bubble was being affected, it began to shrink to it's regular size.

"Don't want to fight...have to...will...protect you!" The fusion struggled.

Eventually, she couldn't handle. The inner conflict was literally tearing her apart. In a pop, Stevonnie became undone.

Seeing the two beings, one human and one half-gem, was enough to stop the assault. Even the research gem had stopped typing out of shock.

"What...is this?" The Agate asked in confusion. "What are you?"

"Connie!" Steven shouted.

Their disagreement forgotten, they could only worry about the safety of each other. Now that they were separated, Connie was defenseless and Steven was reluctant to act. Thankfully, the bubble had managed to stay formed around them.

"I'm okay!" Connie shouted.

Overwhelmed with relief and not knowing what else to do, Steven and Connie locked hands and pulled each other into a hug. Their care for each other overwhelmed their fears. That act was enough to pull them back into Stevonnie.

Once the fusion had returned, she looked towards the stunned gems. They were still too shocked to process what they had seen, a strange looking gem had fused with a being that had no gem.

"You're a fusion?"

The gem began typing furiously on her screen, taking down the information. She had just finished and managed send the information to her Diamond before a glow filled the room. Jasper's gem was hovering in a light as it's energy began to take form and solidify. Once the regeneration was complete, Jasper stood there in her glory.

And she was angry.

* * *

Yellow Diamond marched back and forth across the room, her feet stomping into the ground with each enraged step. Behind her, Blue Diamond followed, trying to calm her rage. The Pearls that were present hastily moved out of their leaders' way for fear of being crushed.

"Unbelievable!" The powerful being shouted. "A fusion!"

"Please Yellow!" A pleading voice trailed after her counter-part. "We knew she was different!"

"And between a human!" She shouted even louder. "Those filthy organics!"

"You're not even trying!" Blue shouted.

What had the gem leader in such a rage was the new information she had just received from a research gem. It explained that the traitor was actually a fusion between an organic. Such a thing was impossible, yet there it was! There was even a recording of the...the abomination.

"And you!" The Yellow being exclaimed, turning to her blue counterpart. "Why are you so determined to keep that-that-that Rose Quartz!"

"Because they were _hers_!" The Blue Leader shouted.

With her exclamation, Blue Diamond released a wave of Blue light that engulfed every gem in the room. They felt her pain, and couldn't handle it. Tears began falling from the various gems like a faucet. Even Yellow Diamond had to blink her eyes to contain the tears that threatened to fall.

"Blue...?" Yellow questioned.

Yellow Diamond was taken back by the answer she had received. Not expecting the answer, nor the passion. Yellow Diamond looked more closely to Blue to see that the gem was close to tears. Not surprising, anything related to Pink Diamond did this to her. Even Yellow Diamond felt the pain of loss with Pink gone. Though instead of grieving as Blue did, she found her relief differently.

"They were made specifically for her!" Blue Diamond elaborated. "She worked to forge them specifically as her primaries! Her pride and joy! You have your Jaspers and Topazs. I have my Sapphires and Aquamarines!" She continued. "Even White has her gems, but Pink..." Tears began to fall once more. "They're all that's left of her. Her legacies."

"Blue." Yellow spoke in a softer tone.

"Please Yellow." Blue practically begged. "If not for me, then for her."

Yellow looked into the eyes of her pleading counterpart. She could feel Blue's own sorrow overflowing her own anger, leaving her with nothing but her own sadness.

"I-I just-" Yellow Diamond mentally struggled. "I can't!" She shouted. "Those filthy humans are what made that defective Rose Quartz rebel! They are part of the reason Pink was...was..."

Eventually, even Yellow Diamond couldn't hold it back. Whether from Blue's ability or her own backed up grief, they came. Hot tears of pain and anger began flowing down her cheeks at the memory. A Diamond had been shattered for such a measly species on an equally measly planet. And by her own so-called legacies.

"Yellow?" Blue spoke softly, shocked by the display.

"You think I don't miss her too?" Yellow asked as she looked Blue in the eyes. "I'm always thinking of her."

Blue Diamond placed a comforting hand on her Yellow counterpart, which was graciously accepted.

"Give her to me." Blue Diamond urged. "Let her wear my colors and I will put her to use. I will keep her out of your way, and if she fails, she'll be shattered just like you wanted." Blue offered. "Or worse."

"Worse?" Yellow asked as she rubbed the tears from her eyes. "I like the sound of that."

 **Review-Please, they motivate me!**

 **Sorry for the wait, next chapter already in progress.** **Well readers, Stevonnie enters the gem army. Who knows what shenanigans she'll get into, what do you all think will happen. You'll have to read and find out.**

 **Should I make it M-rating?**


	7. Chapter 7

I do not own "Steven Universe"

 **PLEASE READ!**

 **It seems that some of you misunderstood the question from last chapter. I wasn't asking if it was too adult, I was asking if you _wanted me to make it more adult_. Not too much, but a lemon here and there. Don't want to get off plot, but would like to add something new. Warning: Will not be doing Steven or Connie lemons, too young. Stevonnie only.**

 **PLEASE READ ABOVE!**

* * *

 **Chapter 7**

Once Jasper had reformed, the Yellow Agate had made a hasty retreat. The two Quartz hadn't been so lucky, they had been dealt with in a swift manner by Jasper. Swift, and very brutal.

Once she was done with them, she immediately left the room determined to fine the cowardly Agate. The other two gems had watched the whole ordeal in silence, neither wishing to get involved.

A beeping broke the tense silence and brought the two back to the present. The green gem tapped a button and a screen opened in front of her.

"Well, I have my results." The green gem stated. "And Blue Diamond has reached a decision, supported by Yellow."

"A decision?"

The gem turned her green for Stevonnie to read, but it was all illegible to the fusion, it reminded her of Centipeedle's writing.

"It looks like you'll be a soldier under the Diamond Authority, Rose." The gem green stated. "Enjoy your time of peace, because in two rotations that Agate will be putting you through training."

"Before we start, I must run a few experiments to be sure you're up to the task."

"Experiments?" The fusion paled. "They're...painless, right?"

"Oh my no." The gem answered. "Prepare the probe!"

* * *

-JASPER

Jasper growled in frustration as she continued searching for the cowardly Agate. She refused to let her get away with what she had done, but she couldn't punish her if she couldn't find her.

"Where are you!?" Jasper demanded as she continued searching.

She couldn't stand that cowardly Agate! She could live with the sneak attack, that was her being unprepared. But she wouldn't tolerate it, and she wouldn't let the Agate be a coward about it. At least the other two faced her like warriors. Outclassed warriors yes, but they still stood their ground!

She had just entered another hall and when it happened.

The crawling sensation, her form changing against her will, she'd never forget it. The corruption was flaring again, although more intense than before. A painful spasm moved through her that caused her to jerk and collide with the wall. The force had made a dull thud that seemed to echo.

The warrior gem spun around, looking to see if anyone had seen it. Luckily no gem had been in there at the moment.

 _How is this happening!?_ Jasper wondered in terror.

The truth was she knew exactly how, and why. It was her punishment. She had been too proud, too stubborn in the face of another fusion, especially after the Lazuli had turned her away. In her blind foolishness, she had fused with a corrupted gem! A sure sign that she had gone over the edge, and this was the results.

And it hadn't even been worth it! Her fusion with the corrupted gem was nowhere near as awesome as with...Lapis. She had lost outright to the pathetic fusion of the failed Amethyst and the half-breed runt. At least as Malachite, she had been stronger than their best fusion!

Jasper growled in frustration at the thought. Her fusion with Lapis, forming Malachite, it was something she had never...it was...it drover her mad!

She was proud to be a brute, it was literally who she was. Strong, relentless and she had proven it time and again! The Facet that came out right from the Beta Kindergarten. But her time as Malachite, it was overwhelming. The power they had! It showed her small and weak she really was.

"Damn it!" She shouted as she punched a wall.

A passing gem had stopped to look at her before continuing on their way. It was not uncommon for a Quartz to throw a tantrum and become physical. As long as she didn't cause too much damage she would be ignored and the damage would be repaired.

She looked at the damage she had caused, a crater in the wall. There was a time when she would have looked on in pride at the damage, now all she could feel was disappointment. If she had been Malachite, she could have leveled the entire facility with a wave of her hand.

Another spasm brought her from her current thoughts.

 _I need to overcome this!_ She thought as she tried controlling her defective arm.

* * *

-STEVONNIE

Never before had the fusion been more thankful for Connie's mom being a doctor. The intelligent woman had educated her daughter on the inner workings of the average human, man and woman.

The green gems jotted all the information down like a sponge. Stevonnie realized that it would be interesting for the gem to learn more about workings of another species. Anyone would. That's how Steven and Connie always felt when learning more about gems.

Or in Steven's case, anything new.

"Thank you, this is valuable information." The green gem stated. "We just need to run a routine diagnostics of your gem."

"Can't you do it without hurting me!?" Stevonnie asked in fear.

"Easily." She answered.

The green gem pulled out a device that looked like a metal detector Connie's dad had used and waved it over the fusion's gem a few times.

"Your gem is in perfect condition, although...I noticed that it's not functioning to full capacity."

"Full capacity?"

"Yes, it's strange." The green gem stated, more to herself than the fusion. "Usually something like this only happens to over or under incubated gems, unable to utilize their abilities to their fullest. Tell me, do you have moments where your strength or abilities waver?"

Stevonnie thought back to the time when Steven thought he had lost his ability to heal. Or times when his bubble wouldn't form, let alone his shield, because he hadn't had a proper grasp on it. Not to mention he was still discovering new abilities.

"It seems that being fused actually allows you to tap into more of your capabilities." She continued. "No doubt because it's in use, like a machine loading up."

"Cool." Stevonnie stated.

She couldn't wait to see what new abilities she would gain, or to see how much stronger she'd get.

* * *

Once the fusion had been diagnosed as 'Fit to serve' she had been released. Unfortunately, that had brought her to a new problem all together. Standing in front of the building, Stevonnie realized that she had no idea where she was, in nearly every since of the word.

 _I don't think we made any turns when we were with Jasper._ Stevonnie thought as she walked. _So if we head in a straight direction, we should meet with Peridot._

It took the fusion a bit of time, but she hardly noticed. All of the walking had allowed her to better take in the scenery of the strange world. All of the temples and platforms on Earth paled in comparison to what Home-World had.

Stevonnie was torn from her sense of wonder by an earsplitting explosion. It carried a force that almost caused her to lose her balance. Looking in the direction of the noise, she saw a building with a smoking hole in the wall.

Acting on instinct, Stevonnie ran to the scene to offer her help in anyway she could. Once she was at the entrance, she saw that the damage was caused from an explosion coming outwards. There were chunks of the building everywhere.

A rather large slab of the building was moving. From underneath it, Stevonnie could hear a few angry words. Someone was trapped underneath.

Grabbing the large slab, Stevonnie yanked it up. To her shock, it wasn't nearly as heavy as anticipated and the fusion overexerted. Overcome by the surprise in strength, she almost lost her balance. Looking around for a safe spot, she dropped the slab and was rewarded with a loud crashing sound. It seemed that the piece of wall hadn't been as light as she believed.

 _And this isn't full capacity?_ She asked herself in shock. And a bit of awe. She was no expert, but she was sure that the slab of wall should have weighed at least a couple _hundred_ Stevonnie had felt, at most, around thirty.

She turned to check on the trapped gem and saw a familiar green gem with leg enhancements brushing off some debris.

"Peridot!" Stevonnie shouted in fear for her little friend.

The fusion ran to her friend's side as fast as she could, which was actually pretty fast. She knelt down to her side as the green gem began to raise herself up. The limb enhancements sparked a bit, it was obviously in need of repair. Stevonnie grabbed her arm and tried to help support her friend, only for Peridot to jerk away.

"Unhand me you tall and b-beautiful clod!" Peridot shouted as she snatched the limb enhancement away.

Stevonnie recoiled from the little gem's action. "P-Peri?"

Without another word, the Peridot climbed through the hole that she came from. Curiosity getting the better of her, Stevonnie followed her through.

The inside reminded Stevonnie of the barn back on Earth after Lapis moved in. A lot of items laid about in half constructed forms that she didn't understand.

"Stevonnie!" A voice shouted.

Stevonnie turned to the voice and her jaw dropped. Before her were dozens of Peridots, each identical to each other in nearly every way. The only thing truly different between them were the placement of their gems and their shades of green.

"Peridot?" She called back.

That got the attention of every gem in the room, all turned their eyes to Stevonnie. Steven didn't mind being the center of attention, but Connie did. Having the cold and calculating gaze of so many Peridot's was too much.

"Over here!" An arm waved in the air.

Stevonnie walked through the collection of Peridots in awe. She had never seen so many gems in her life, let alone Peridots! There had to be fifty of them, at least! She wanted to stop and ask them all a bunch of questions.

Stevonnie looked at her friend and She was the only Peridot not wearing Limb-Enhancers.

"Where are your limb enhancers?" Stevonnie asked worried. "They aren't broken, are they?"

"Negative." Peridot answered. "They are simply out of date, so they are being updated and upgraded. In the months that I've been gone, other Peridots have been improving them, I can't wait to try out the new features!"

The fusion smiled at seeing her little friend so excited, it eased her stress.

"So many of you." Stevonnie stated as she eyed the masses.

"Some of these Peridots are from the same Kindergarten as I am, but they are nothing like me." Peridot stated proudly.

"So they're like your sisters!" Stevonnie surmised excitedly.

"...Not really." Peridot stated. "While we have the same place of origin, we share none of the familial bond that humans often go on about."

That bit of news saddened the fusion, but it didn't surprise her. Pearl, and even Garnet, had stated that gems had no family. Just a purpose.

"How did your inspection go?" Peridot asked. "Seeing as you weren't shattered, I assume they found no flaws."

"I...don't think." Stevonnie answered. "I'm being placed in training for the army."

"Want me to show you around?" Peridot asked eagerly. "I can show you some of the things I've been working on before I was sent to Earth!"

Stevonnie instantly brightened at the prospect of seeing more of Home-World and alien tech. Peridot was all too happy to help show off the achievements she and her kind had made.

They had barely made it two steps when Stevonnie noticed something she actually recognized.

"Is that a Wailing Stone?"

Peridot noticed the device Stevonnie had asked about and nodded.

"We Peridots often keep outdated devices to show how far we've progressed." She explained. "We also use them as inspiration when looking for new ideas."

"Does it work?" Stevonnie asked, earning another nod. "I'd like to send a message home."

* * *

-EARTH

Pearl frantically knocked onto the Temple Door, hoping the little half-ling could hear her. She had been attempting this for the last two days since her...outburst. Little did she know that Steven wasn't in the Temple, or in Beach city, or even on Earth.

The look in Steven's eyes had devastated her to no end. Not since her desire to fuse with Garnet getting out of hand had she felt this awful. Worse actually. She had been entrusted by Rose herself to look after the little half-ling. To keep him safe, to give him love, to guide him, all of the things Rose herself couldn't do. She had been tasked to do this not as a Pearl, or as a Crystal Gem, but as a friend.

"Steven please!" She begged. "Come out, I'm sorry. I know you're upset with me, but that's no reason to mistreat your body. You need food and water!"

"Relax P, he'll come out when he's ready." Amethyst assured. "His belly will win him over, mine always does."

"Honestly, Amethyst." Pearl sighed. "Your stomach is nothing more than greed, Steven actually needs this to survive and being in there for so long is unhealthy."

"Psh." The Quartz snorted. "I once spent three weeks in my room."

"Because you were trapped under so much trash and couldn't get out." Pearl stated before panicking. "What if Steven's trapped! He could be injured! Starving! Lost in some illusion! Or-"

Whatever the gem was going to say was drowned out by the familiar and aggravating noise of a gem item. The Wailing Stone was activated. The noise filled the entire room with such a noise that it shook

"No! Not again!" Amethyst begged.

"Relax." Garnet ordered over the noise. "We know how to handle this."

"But Steven is-!"

"Steven is fine." Garnet stated over the noise. "I don't see a future with him being injured in there. Besides, everything is made of clouds."

Garnet watched as Pearl visibly relaxed. Grabbing the Wailing Stone, the fusion walked out of the house before leaping in a specific direction. Amethyst trailed behind with her hands covering her ears.

"Steven, there's a mystery message from the Wailing Stone!" Pearl informed. "A chance for an adventure if you want to come!"

She waited for a reply. Steven's usual excitement mixed with curiosity often got the better of him. But she'd settle for him denying the opportunity. Anything to get a reaction from him, then she'd know he was fine.

"Pearl!" Garnet and Amethyst called.

"Um, coming!" Pearl called back, not wanting to leave. "Steven, there's peanut-butter and jelly sandwich if you get hungry."

* * *

The gems found Greg at the car wash tuning up his guitar. Seeing the gems approach him filled him with curiosity, the noise with answers.

"Yo Greg!" Amethyst shouted. "We need to play with your junk!"

"Amethyst, please!" Pearl chastised over the noise. "Greg, may we please use your junk?"

The gems watched as Greg began to hook up the equipment as he did last time. It never failed to astound Pearl how such primitive equipment could meld with advanced gem technology.

Finally the noise ended and an image came on screen. What they saw shocked them more than anything they could have imagined.

There, on screen, was Stevonnie, the fusion of Steven and Connie. The fact that they were sending them this message raised all kinds of questions they weren't sure they wanted the answers to.

"Hey Mr. Dad!" Stevonnie greeted. "I mean Mr. Universe Dad, not Maheswarin dad!" The fusion greeted with a wave of her hand.

"H-Hey." Greg returned the greeting.

"I made it to Home-World safely and things are going...well they're going." She stated.

Greg looked over his shoulder to see all three gems frozen with their jaws hanging. No doubt his own was too. He had a suspicion that Steven would do something extreme, but the fact he left the Earth was a bit more than the dad could have considered.

 _I thought he'd contact them!_ Greg thought as he processed everything. _Make a Space Pen-Pal!_

"Steven's been kidnapped!" Pearl shouted.

"I haven't been kidnapped." Stevonnie stated. "I-we-" Stevonnie sighed as she realized the words wouldn't come to he as she had hoped. "I'm here, and I'm going to do my best to understand everything. And help where I can. I just...I needed to know." Stevonnie spoke. "I needed to know why Rose...why the Crystal gems...I needed to know why the rebellion happened. And If I can, I want to help the gems. I want to help all of them."

There was a moment of silence as Greg and the gems let the weight of the fusions words fall on the. Stevonnie was trying to accomplish something even Rose couldn't do. It filled them all with terror. But they couldn't deny the growing respect for the fusion's sense of care.

"Is that everything?" Stevonnie asked as she looked off screen. "Oh, and I'm not alone!" She stated with a smile as she pulled Peridot into a view and gave her a hug. "See."

"Greetings Amethyst, Garnet, Greg and Pearl." Peridot spoke. "In that order."

"Yo." Amethyst returned.

"They can't-why am I last!?" Pearl spoke loudly.

"Because-"

"Forget that, why is Steven on Home-World!" Pearl cut her off.

"We also have Lapis and Jasper." Peridot stated.

"WHAT!?" Amethyst and Pearl exclaimed.

"Oh yeah?" Stevonnie chuckled nervously. "I may have freed and healed Jasper. And a few of the other gems that had been...bubbled."

"WHY!?"

"I realized that Jasper isn't evil."

"Seemed evil to me." Amethyst stated with folded arms while Pearl nodded in agreement.

"She's just a soldier, just doing her duty." Stevonnie stated. "Home-World is her home and the Crystal gems are a...a threat to it, just like her Diamond."

Pearl and the gems froze at the words that Stevonnie spoke. Wondering how much they actually knew about the war, how much the Home-World gems had told them.

"Also, I lost Lion." Stevonnie stated. "He helped us get here, but afterwards he just went off to do his own Lion thing. If you see him, tell him I said 'sup." The video went blank leaving them confused, before it came back on. "Oh, last thing for now." Stevonnie stated. Putting her hands together, she formed a heart in front of the screen so they could all see. "I love you."

With that the video went silent. And the gems were left with answers that only raised more questions.

"...We need to get the Maheswarans." Greg answered as he pulled out his cellphone. He was dreading this.

Garnet walked away from the van, followed by the gems.

"So what're we going to do G?" Amethyst asked.

"We have to go rescue them!" Pearl shouted.

It took Garnet a few minutes of inner debate before she finally spoke. The news of Stevonnie being on Home-World and everything else was almost enough to shock her into separation. Once she had a better hold of herself, she turned to her friends and spoke.

"We can't." Garnet stated.

"Why not!?" Amethyst asked.

"Even if we managed to get to Home-World, we'd be shattered in moments. I don't need a vision to see that."

"So what do we do!?" Pearl exclaimed.

"...We trust Stevonnie." Garnet answered. "Rose fought for freedom, this is what freedom is about. Choice."

The gems attention was taken by a fast moving vehicle heading towards them, it was the Maheswarans. They had been close to the area searching for their daughter when they had received Greg's call. They had wasted no time in making their way towards them.

The car had barely been parked when Connie's mother was out of the car. With the bags under her eyes and the disheveled look, it was obvious that Connie missing had taken a toll on her. Her husband looked to be no better off.

"Do you know where Connie is!?" She asked desperately. "Where's my baby!?"

Pearl was about to speak when the Wailing Stone began making more noise, much to their shock and annoyance. They had another message, rushing to Greg's side, they watched him play it. The Maheswarans, not understanding but needing to know about their daughter followed.

"What does it say!?" Pearl demanded.

An image of Stevonnie was on the screen again, this time she looked embarrassed.

"I almost forgot, I need to say goodbye to my other mom and dad!" Stevonnie stated as she rubbed her head sheepishly. "And I need to explain everything."

They watched as she paced back and forth, trying to decide on how best to explain everything to her human parents. They had only the barest of understandings of the adventure in Connie's life. She trained to use swords and he was half alien living with his alien aunts. Connie hadn't told them of any of the more dangerous adventures they went on, fearing that she'd be forced to stop.

"What's going on?" Mr. Maheswaran asked, only to be shushed.

"I know!" Stevonnie exclaimed. "Universe dad! Can you play the best hero based snack song in the world!?"

It took Greg all of twelve seconds to register the request and grab his guitar. It took another four for him to decipher the song that was requested. Lucky for him, because that was all the time he had before Stevonnie began singing.

 _~Oohhhhh!_  
 _He's a frozen treat with an all new taste!_  
 _'cause he came to this planet from outer space!_  
 _A refugee of an interstellar war! But now he's at your local grocery store!_  
 _Cookie Cat!_  
 _He's a pet for your tummy!_  
 _Cookie Cat! He's super duper yummy!_  
 _Cookie Cat!_  
 _He left his family behind!_  
 _Cookie Caaaaat!_

 _Now available-Nowhere!~_

With the song finished, the screen went black leaving a pair of confused parents. Greg raised his head took a look at the gems and parents. He was greeted with confusion and anger.

"What does a song about ice cream have to do with our daughter!?" Mrs. Maheswaran demanded. "Is this a sick joke!?"

"Let's start from the beginning." Garnet spoke. "Greg."

Greg told the gems and Maheswarans everything that he knew, while it wasn't much it filled in some of the blanks. Unfortunately, having the information didn't help their situation at all. Their kids were off in space, in another galaxy to be specific. And in the clutches of an alien race that once tried to conquer the planet.

"You let them go into space!?" Mrs. Maheswaran half-asked, half-demanded.

Greg raised his guitar up to protect himself. He had no intention of striking the woman with it, but he could use it to hold her at bay. Hopefully.

"I didn't even let Steven go!" He defended. "I had no idea about Connie!"

Greg continued to hold his guitar up defensively towards the lady. The deranged look in her eyes was something to fear.

"What did that girl have to do with our daughter!?" Mr. Maheswaran asked, not knowing about fusion.

Luckily the Wailing Stone began making more noise, it seemed they had a new message. Eager to play it, Greg turned on his equipment and there was Stevonnie who started speaking again, saving him.

"Steven, that's not going to work on my mom. Nice try." Stevonnie stated as she looked to her side. They watched as she turned her head to look in the other direction. "Well I thought it was fitting, you know?" She shrugged. "But my mom doesn't like Cookie Cat, she wouldn't get it."

The Maheswaran's mouth dropped open at what they saw next. The strange person on the screen began to glow and separate. There stood their daughter and the magical boy Steven.

"Hi mom and dad." Connie stated nervously. "I-

"CONNIE!" They screamed. "WHERE ARE YOU!?"

"They can't hear you." Amethyst stated.

They watched as the girl closed her eyes and struggled to find the proper words. But they never came. The little human felt a soft hand slide into hers and felt an instant sense of reassurance. Looking to Steven, she smiled.

"I know you have a lot of questions, and I'm sorry I went into space without your permission! I know you wouldn't have let me go with Steven, but I had too!" She stated in one breath. "I'm his Knight! You knew that all these months I've been going to Steven's for sword lessons." She stated, reminding them of her leisurely time. "This is the reason why! I'm going to protect him!"

"And I'll protect you." Steven stated, making Connie smile.

"Steven was my first friend." Connie stated. "He got to know me and show me that there's so much out there. Out here!" She spread her arms out to the sky. "And in here." She motioned to her heart. "So we're going to do this together."

"Together." Steven agreed. "You're the jam!"

"And you're the biscuit!"

The two locked hands and pulled each other into a hug. The embrace, fueled with their strong emotions, was enough of a synchronization. Their bodies glowed as they became one.

"This is me, Stevonnie." The fusion spoke. "I'm neither Steven or Connie. I'm something more, but one thing is certain. We're together, and we love you."

 **Review-Please, I had hoped for more by now. Welp, next chapter is the start of being a soldier. Thoughts? Any questions?**

 **PLEASE READ!**

 **It seems that some of you misunderstood the question from last chapter. I wasn't asking if it was too adult, I was asking if you _wanted me to make it more_ adult. Not too much, but a lemon here and there. Don't want to get off plot, but would like to add something new. Warning: Will not be doing Steven or Connie lemons, too young. Stevonnie only.**


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